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,VtY Of, 








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/^ 



HISTORY 



REGIMENte ARTILLERY, 

lOMPILED FEOM THE OBIGISAL BECOEDS. " 



pOK FRANCIS J)UNCAN. M.A.. D.U.l,., LL.D,. 

KOl'AL ARTILLERY. 




IN TWO VOLUMES— VOL. I. 

THIRD EDITIOK. 

WITH PORTRAITS. 



LONDOK: 

JOUN UUEKAT, ALBEMARLE STKEET. 
1879. 



UA 

A\ 



LONDON : 
l-niNTED BY WILLIAM CIX)WE.S AND M)XS, 



VO5-\6\V\q0 



TO 
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 

FIELD-MARSHAL THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE, 

K.G., G.C.B., K.P.,- G.C.M.G., 

COLONEL OF THS BOTAL BEOUfEMT OF ABTILLBBT, 

THIS 

HISTORY OF ITS SERVICES 

IS RESPECTFULLY, AND BY PERMISSION, 



DEDICATED BY. 



THE AUTHOR. 



PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION. 



••o*- 



A FURTHER reorganization of the Royal Ar- 
tillery, involving alterations in the nomen- 
clature of Batteries, having taken place since the 
publication of the Second Edition, the Author has 
deemed it desirable to issue a Third, with tables 
added to Appendix C, in the Second Volume, which 
will enable the reader to keep up the continuity. 

These frequent changes are embarrassing to the 
student of history, but in the present instance the 
change has been distinctly advantageous in an 
administrative point of view. 

Woolwich. 
October, 1870. 



I 



PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION. 



■•o«- 



rPHE unexpected favour accorded to the first edition 
of this work having already rendered a second 
necessary, the author has taken the opportunity 
of making many corrections and additions, and of 
embodying the indices of both volumes in one. 
The history, as it now stands, represents the services 
of the Corps in detail as far as the year 1815, and 
gives a summary of the services of those batteries now 
in existence, which represent the troops and com- 
panies of the old Royal Horse Artillery, and of the 
nine senior battalions of the Royal Artillery. The 
tables at the end of both volumes will also assist the 
reader in tracing the antecedents of every battery 
in the Regiment. 

The author takes this opportunity of expressing 
his gratitude to his brother officers for the cordial 
sympathy and encouragement which he has received 
from them during his labours, and his hope that the 
noble narrative commenced by him will not long 
remain unfinished. The importance of completing 



viii Preface to Second Edition. 

the record of the Corps' services in the Crimea and 
India, while the oflScers who served in these cam- 
paigns are yet alive, is very apparent; and the 
author would respectfully suggest that any docu- 
ments throwing light upon these services, which are 
in the possession of any one beloDging to, or inte- 
rested in the Corps, should be deposited for safe 
keeping, and for reference, in the Regimental Record 
OflSce at Woolwich. 

Mairch 2, 1874. 



PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. 



A MONO- the uneducated, discipline is created 
by fear, and confirmed by habit. Among the 
educated, the agency at work is more complicated. 
Sympathy with the machine of which the indi- 
vidual finds himself a part, and a reasoning appre- 
hension of the necessity of discipline, are mingled 
with a strong feeling of responsibility ; and, as in 
the former case, habit steps in to cement the whole. 
Of all these agents, the noblest is undoubtedly the 
sense of responsibility, and the highest duty of a 
military commander is to awaken this sense where 
it does not exist, and to confirm and strengthen it 
where it does. 

Two means may be employed to ensure this 
end. First : let the importance of his duty be 
impressed on the individual, and let the value in 
a military sense of what might seem at first sight 
trivial be carefully demonstrated. Let it be ex- 
plained that neglect of some seemingly slight duty 
may disarrange the whole machine; and that for 



Preface to First Edition. 



this reason no duty, in a soldier's eyes, should 
appear slight or trivial. Second : let an esprit de 
corps be fostered, such as shall make a man feel it 
a shame to be negligent or unworthy. 

History has a power to awaken this esprit, which 
it is impossible to overrate. Its power reaches 
the educated and the uneducated alike ; it begets 
a sympathy with the past, which is a sure agent 
in creating cohesion in the present ; for the interest 
which binds us to our predecessors binds us also 
to one another. In this cohesion and sympathy 
is to be found the most sublime form of true 
discipline. 



h 



CONTEN 




Page 

Ihtboduotobt Chapter 1 

Chaptkb 

L— The Ma8tbb8-Genkbal of the Ordnance, and 

THEIB HONOUBABLS BOARD 9 

IL — The Infancy of Artillery in England .. 85 

m. — The Restoration, and the Revolution of 1688 . . 46 

IV. — ^Landmarks 60 

v.— Marlborouoh's Trains 63 

YL — ^Annapolis 71 

Vn. — The Birth of the Regiment 79 

Vin.— Albert Borgard 83 

IX.— Twenty Tears 101 

X. — Foundation of the Royal Military Acadeicy .. 108 

XL — ^A Sterner School 122 

Xn. — Woolwich in the Olden Time 140 

Xm.— To 1766 154 

XIY. — ^Thb. Royal Irish Artillery 160 

XY. — ^The First Battalion. — ^History of the Companies, 
their Succession of Captains, and Present 

Designation 169 

XVI. — The Second Battalion. — History of the Companies, 
THEIR Succession of Captains, and Present 

Designation 178 

XVn.— During THE Seven Years' War 184 

XVin. — The Siege of Louisbourg 194 

XIX. — ^MlNDBN, — ^AND AFTER MiNDEN 206 

XX, — The Third Battalion. — ^History of the Companies, 
THEIR Succession of Captains, and Present 

Designation 218 

XXI.— The Siege of Belleisle 227 

XXIL— Peace <2AV 



xu 



Contents of Vol. I, 



GuAPTEU Pace 

XXIll. — The Foukth Battauon —History of tiie Gompanieb, 

theib sucoession of captains, and present 

Designation 

XXIV. — The Journal of a Few Years .. 

XXV. — The Great Siege of Gibraltar 

XXVI. — Port Mauon 

XXVII. — The American War of Independence 
XXVIII.— The Gunner who Governed New York 

XXIX. — Conclusion of the War 

XXX.— History, Succession of Captains, and Present 
Designation of the Troops and Companies 
belonging to the — 

BoYAL Horse Artillery, 

Fifth Battalion, 

Sixth Battalion, 

Seventh Battalion 393 



• • ■ • 


251 
. 2G4 




271 

. 291 

297 




. 325 




. 348 



Appendices . . 



426 







ROYAL REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY 



INTEODUCTOEY CHAPTEE. 

T N the summer of 1682, for the space of nearly three 
^ months, an old man might have been seen pacing daily 
up and down near the Ordnance Offices in the Tower of 
Iiondon, growing shabbier day by day, more hopeless and 
ptirposeless in his gait, yet seeming bonnd to the place either 
by expectation or command. 

At last with trembling hand he prepared for the Honoarable 
Board of Ordnance the following quaint petition : — 

<* The hmnble Petition of John Hawling, Master Gunner of 
<< His Majesty's Castle of Chester." 

" Sheweth: — 

<* That y* Petitioner being commanded up by special order from 
" the office hath remained here y* space of 13 weeks to his great 
^ cost and charges, he being a very poor and ancient man, not 
^ haying wherewithal to subsist in so chargeable a place. 

*^ He therefor most himibly implores y' Hon" to take his sad 
*^ condition into your Honours' consideration, and to restore him 
" to his place again, y' he may return to his habitation with such 
^ commands as your Hon" shall think fitt to lay upon him. 

" And your Petitioner as in duty bound shall over pray." 

To which Petition the Honourable Board returned the 
following peremptory answer : — 

*' Let y* Petitioner return back to Chester Castle, and there 
" submit himself to Sir Jeoffi*ey Shakerloy, Governor, in y* preseu^iQ 
VOL. I. B 



Introductory Chapter. 



" of Sir Poter Pindar and Mr. Anderton, and obey y^ orders of y* 
" Governor and Liout.-Governor of y* said castle, and upon his 
** said submission and obedience, let him continue and enjoy his 
" former employment of Master Gunner there, so hmg as he shall 
" so behave himself e accordingly." 

John Hawling, this poor and ancient man, was one of the 
small class of Master Gunners, and Gunners of Garrisons, 
who with the few fee'd Gunners at the Tower, represented the 
only permanent force of Artillery in those days in England. 
Their scientific attainments as Artillerists were small, and 
their sense of discipline was feeble. To take a very super- 
ficial charge of Ordnance Stores, and to resent any military- 
interference, such as at Chester seems to have driven John 
Hawling into mutiny, but at the same time to cringe to the 
Board, which was the source of their annual income, repre- 
sented in their minds the sum and substance of their duties. 
And taking into consideration John Hawling's ofience, his 
advanced years, and his petition, we do not err in taking him 
as a representative man. 

« • « • • 

In the House of Commons, on the 22nd of February, 1872, 
the Secretary of State for War rose to move the Army Esti- 
mates for the ensuing year. These included provision for a 
Eegiment of Artillery, numbering — including those serving 
in India— 34,943 officers, non-commissioned officers, and 
men. 

Although divided into Horse, Field, and Garrison Artillery, 
and including no less than twenty-nine Brigades, besides a 
large Depot, this large force, representing the permanent 
Artillery Force of Great Britain, was one vast regiment — 
the Koyal Eegiment of Artillery. 

To trace the growth, from so small an acorn, of so noble a 
tree, is a task which would inspire the boldest author with 
diffidence: and when the duty is undertaken by one who 
has had no experience in historical writing, he is bound to 
justify himself to his readers for his temerity. 

When the writer of the following pages assumed, in 
January, 1871, the duties of Superintendent of the Boyal 



Introductory Chapter, 



Artillery Regimental Records, he found a method and order 
established by his predecessor, Major R. Oldfield, R. A., nil 
the more remarkable when compared with the chaos too 
often prevailing in Record offices. The idea immediately 
occurred to him that if ever a History of the Regiment were 
to be written — a book greatly wanted, and yet becoming 
every day more difficult to write — here, in this office, could 
it most easily be done. This feeling became so strong in 
his mind, that it overcame the reluctance he felt to step 
into an arena for which he had received no special training. 
The unwillingness felt by him was increased by the know- 
ledge that there was in the Regiment an officer. Colonel 
F. Miller, V.C., who was eminently qualified for writing 
such a History. Other and more pressing duties had, how- 
ever, prevented that officer from undertaking a work which 
he had once contemplated ; but of the many documents and 
books which the author of the following pages has made 
use of for his purpose, none has been more valuable than 
an exhaustive pamphlet published some years ago by Colonel 
Miller for private circulation, and his recent edition of 
Kane's list of Artillery officers, with its comprehenerive 
Appendix. 

It has been said above that the writing of this History 
has been every year becoming more difficult. The state- 
ment requires explanation, as the difficulty is not caused so 
much by the accumulation — continually going on — of modern 
records, which might bury the old ones out of sight, as by 
a change in the organization of the Regiment which took 
place some years ago, and which sadly dislocated its history, 
although possibly improving its efficiency. In the year 1859, 
the old system which divided the Regiment into Companies 
and Battalions, with permanent Battalion Headquarters at 
Woolwich, was abolished ; and Companies serving in diflferent 
parts of the Empire were linked together in Brigades, on 
grounds of Geography, instead of History. Companies of 
different Battalions serving on the same station were chris- 
tened Batteries of the same Brigade, and the old Battalion 
staff at Woolwich became the staff, at various stations, of tlve 

• b1 



Introductory Chapter. 



Brigades newly created. The old Companies, in donning 
their new titles, lost their old history and began their life 
anew. Every year as it passed made the wall which had 
been bailt between the present and the past of the Begiment 
more nearly approach the student's horizon, and the day 
seemed imminent when it would be impossible to make the 
existing Batteries know and realize that the glorioas History 
of the old Companies was their own legitimate property. 

The evil of such a state can hardly be described. The 
importance of maintaining the esfprii of Batteries cannot be 
overrated. And e^pAt feeds and flourishes upon, history. 

Nor can Battery e8/>rtY be created by a general Begimental 
history. The partwular satisfies the appetite which refuses 
to be nourished upon the general. The memory which will 
gloat over the stories of Minden, Gibraltar, or Waterloo, 
will look coldly on the Begimental Motto "Ubique." There- 
fore, he who would make the influence of history most surely 
felt by an Artilleryman must spare no labour in tracing the 
links which connect the Batteries of the present with the 
Companies of the past. For the Battery is the unit of Artil- 
lery: all other organization is accidental. Whether the 
administrative web, which encloses a number of Batteries, 
be called a Battalion or a Brigade system, is a matter of 
secondary importance. It is by Batteries that Artillerymen 
make War ; and it is by Batteries that their history should 
be traced. 

With this feeling uppermost in his mind, the author of 
these pages has endeavoured on every occasion to revive the 
memories which will be dear to the officers and men of 
Batteries — memories which ran a risk of being lost with the 
introduction of a new nomenclature. On such memories an 
esprit de corpSy which no legislation can create, will blossom 
easily and brilliantly ; and no weapon for discipline in the 
hand of a commander will be found more true than the power 
of appealing to his men to remember the reputation which 
their predecessors earned with their lives. 

This first volume will give the present designation, the 
past history, and the succession of Captains of the whole of 



Introductory CJiapter. 



the Companies of the seven Battalions formed during the 
last century and of the old troops of the Boyal Horse 
Artillery. In the succeeding volumes, the same course will 
be pursued with regard to the later Battalions. 

These stories will be all the more precious now, as the 
importance of the Battery as a tactical unit has been so 
distinctly recognized by His Boyal Highness the Duke of 
Cambridge within the last few months, and its responsibility 
and value as a command have been so recently and generously 
marked by the present Secretary of State for War. 

The author does not pretend to underrate the difficulties 
of the task which he has undertaken — difficulties which 
cannot be realized by those who see merely these inadequate 
results of his labours. Not the least was the difficulty of 
knowing where to begin. The Begimental organization is 
comparatively recent ; and had he confined his labours to 
the last one hundred and sixty years, his task would have 
been greatly lessened, and yet he might have said with literal 
truth that he had written a History of the Boyal Artillery. 
But surely in any History worthy of the name there were 
antecedent circumstances which could not be left unnoticed, 
such as the circumstances which brought about the birth of 
the Begiment, the blunders and failures which marked the old 
system in England as wrong and foolish, and the necessity, 
which gradually dawned, of having in the country a j^ma- 
nent, instead of a spasmodic force of Artillery. 

Bepudiating, therefore, the notion that the Begiment's 
History should commence with its first parade, how far was 
he to penetrate in his antiquarian researches ? There was a 
danger of wearying his reader, which had to be avoided fully 
as carefully as the risk of omitting necessary information, 
for a history — to be useful in awakening esprit de corps — 
should be read, not shelved as a work of reference. It is in 
this part of his labours that the author has to appeal for the 
greatest indulgence, because writing, as he has generally 
done, with all his documents and authorities round him for 
reference, he may unconsciously have omitted Bome deWiX'^ 



Introdtutory Cfuxpter, 



most necessary to the reader ; or with some picture clearly 
present to his own mind as he wrote, he may have given 
light and shade which had caught his own fancy, and 
omitted the outlines without which the picture will be 
almost unintelligible. 

Of the many to whom he is indebted for assistance he 
feels called upon to mention specially the Secretary of State 
for War, by whose permission he had unlimited access to the 
Ordnance Library in the Tower ; Colonel Middleton, O.B., 
Deputy Adjutant-General of the Boyal Artillery ; General 
McDowell, commanding the troops in New York ; Lieutenant 
A. B. Gardner, of the United States Artillery; and the 
Committees of the Boyal Artillery and United Service La- 
stitutions. 

The works which the author has consulted are too nume- 
rous to mention, but among those which were most useful 
to him were Drinkwater's * Siege of Gibraltar,* Murdoch's 
'History of Nova Scotia,' Browne's 'England's Artillerymen,' 
Clode's * Military Forces of the Crown,' the Eeports of the 
House of Commons, the Becords of the Boyal Military 
Academy, Kirke's ' Conquest of Canada,' Bameau's ' La 
France aux Colonies,' Cust's * Annals of the Wars.' 

Among the mass of MSS. through which he had to wade, 
the valuable manuscript notes connected with the ' History 
of the Boyal Artillery,' arranged by the late Colonel Cleave- 
land, deserve special mention. The skeleton of this work, 
however, was furnished by the old Becord Books of the 
Battalions, deposited in the office of which the author is 
Superintendent. 

In the succeeding volumes, the advantage of being able 
to use the old letter-books of the headquarter offices of the 
Boyal Artillery will be apparent. But there was no head- 
quarter staff for the Begiment up to the time where this 
volume finishes ; so that the student has, up to that date, 
to depend greatly on men like General James Pattison and 
Forbes Macbcan, who placed on record, in their diaries and 
letter-bookn, valuable and interesting information connected 



Introductory Chapter. 



with the Kegiment during their service, which would other- 
wise have been hopelessly unattainable. 

The value of such a History as this, if the writer has not 
ntterly failed in his object, cannot be better shown than in 
some words addressed by one of our most distinguished 
Artillery officers (Sir E. C. Warde) to an audience at the 
Royal Artillery Institution a few months ago. The family 
affection which he urged as the model for Eegimental esprit 
cannot be better fostered than by reviving the stories of our 
predecessors' gallant deeds and scientific excellence. As a 
Regiment, we are now largo almost to unwieldiness, and 
conflicting interests and tastes tend to diminish the desired 
sympathy and cohesion. And, as in the crowded pit of a 
theatre before the performance commences, there is elbowing, 
and crowding, and wrangling for place, yet when the curtain 
rises all is hushed and quiet, — there is room for every one, 
— and the look of selfishness is exchanged for one of interest 
and pleasure, — so, among our great numbers, although there 
must be many and diverse interests and tastes, yet we all 
become as one as we gaze on the great dramas in which those 
of us have acted who have gone before. 

The words used by Sir Edward Warde were as follows : — 
" It has ever been our pride, as a corps, to be regarded as 
" one family ; and if one member of it, in any remote part 
" of the world, in any way distinguished himself, it was felt 
" universally that he had reflected credit and honour on the 
" whole corps. And so, vice versa. Should we not, then, 
" extend those feelings as they apply to private families, 
" in which members embrace different professions ? One 
" becomes a soldier, another a sailor, a third enters the 
Church, a fourth goes up for the bar, and so on; and 
if any one gain honour and distinction, all equally feel 
" that such honour and distinction is reflected upon the 
" whole family, and all equally glory and rejoice in it. So 
" should it be with us. Some of us take special interest in 
" the personnel, as it is well known to you all that I have 
done throughout my career ; but is that any reason why I 
should not take an interest — aye, and a warm interest ~ in 









8 



Introductory Chapter. 



the success of those brother officers who pursue scientific 
researches, and seek honour and distinction in the. pursuit 
of literature, and in endeavouring to raise the character of 
our corps as one from which highly scientific attainments 
are expected? No, indeed; the yery reverse should be 
our guiding rule; and I can conceive no position more 
honourable than that held for so many years by our highly 
distinguished brother officer. Sir Edward Sabine. Let us, 
then, feel that we are one family, and let us .rejoice in the 
success of every one of its members, whether they are so 
fortunate as to gain distinction in the field, in the 8ieg6, 
or in literary and scientific pursuits ; and by so doing mi^ 
we hope, not only to maintain our present high reputation, 
but to increase it as time goes on." 



\ 



( 9 ) 



CHAPTER I. 

The Masters-General of the Ordnance and their 

Honourable Board. 

TpHERE are many reasons why the Masters-General of 
-■- the Ordnance must interest the stndent of the History 
of the Royal Artillery. In the days before the Regimental 
organization existed, all Artillery details came under the 
care and superintendence of the Masters-General; and to 
a distinguished one of their number does the Regiment owe 
its formation. The interest becomes deeper and closer after 
that date; for in addition to the general superintendence 
which had already existed, the Master-General had now a 
special interest in the Royal Artillery, in his ex officio 
capacity as its Colonel. 

And whatever objections may be urged against the Board 
of Ordnance, the Royal Artillery, save in one particular, 
has always had abundant and special reason for regarding 
it with affection and gratitude. The almost fatherly care, 
even to the minutest details, which the Board showed to 
that corps over which their Master presided, was such as 
to awaken the jealousy of the other arms of the service. 
Had their government not been of that description which 
attempts to govern too much, not a word could be said by 
an Artilleryman, save in deprecation of the day when the 
Board of Ordnance was abolished. Unfortunately, like a 
parent who has failed to realize that his children have 
become men, the Board invariably interfered with the 
duties of the Artillery under whatever circumstances its 
officers might be situated. No amount of individual ex- 
perience, no success, no distance from England, could save 
unhappy Artillerymen from perpetual worry and incessant 
legislaticMi. The piteous protests and appeals which meet 
the student at every turn give some idea of the torture to 



10 MasterS'General of the Ordnance. Chap. I. 

wliicli the miserable writers had been exposed. The way, 
also, in which the Board expressed its parental affection 
was often such as to neutralize its aim. It was rare indeed 
that any General Officer commanding an army on service 
made an appointment of however temporary or trivial a 
nature, which had to come under the approval of the Board, 
without having it peremptorily cancelled. Even in time of 
peace, the presence in every garrison of that band of con- 
spirators, known as the Respective Officers — who represented 
the obstructive Board, and whose opinion carried far more 
weight than that of the General commanding — was enough 
to irritate that unhappy officer into detestation of the 
Honourable Board and all connected with it. 

It has been declared — and by many well able to judge, 
including the Duke of Wellington himself — that in many 
respects the Board of Ordnance was an excellent national 
institution and a source of economy to the country. It 
may be admitted that in its civil capacity this was the case, 
and the recent tendency to revive in the army spmething 
like the Civil Branch of the Ordnance proves that this 
opinion is general. But, if we take a more liberal view 
than that of mere Artillerymen, we must see that the 
military division of its duties was only saved from exposure 
and disgrace by the fact that the bodies of troops over 
which it had control were generally small and scattered. 
The command of the Eoyal Artillery, now that it has 
attained its present numbers, could not have remained 
vested in the hands of a Board constituted as the Board of 
Ordnance was. What General Officer could have hoped to 
weld the three arms of his division into any homogeneous 
shape, while one of them could quote special privileges, 
special orders, and sometimes positive prohibition, from a 
body to which they owed a very special obedience? The 
Eoyal Artillery may indeed have lost in little comforts 
and perquisites by the abolition of the Board of Ordnance, 
but in a military point of view, in proficiency, and in 
popularity, the Eegiment has decidedly been a gainer. 

While admitting, however, the advantages, nay, the neces- 



•."*fc 



Chap. I. Their duties. 1 1 

sity of the change which has taken place, the long roll of 
distingnished soldiers and statesmen who have successively 
held the office of Master-General of the Ordnance is too 
precious an heirloom in the eyes of an Artilleryman to let 
pass without special notice and congratulation. 

From 1483, the earliest date when we can trace one by 
name, down to the days of the Crimean war, when the 
last Master-General died in harness, the brave, gentle Lord 
Baglan, the list sparkles with the names of men who have 
been first in Court and field, and who have deserved well 
of England. 

Their duties were by no means honorary in earlier times, 
although during the last fifty years of the Board's existence 
the chief work fell upon the permanent staff, and the visits 
of the Master-General were comparatively rare and ceremo- 
nious. If any one would learn what they had to do in the 
seventeenth century, let him go to the Tower, and examine 
the correspondence of Lord Dartmouth, the faithful friend 
and servant of Charles II., a professional Artilleryman and 
James II.'s skilled Master-General to the last. He created 
order out of chaos in the Department of the Ordnance, under 
Charles II., and so admirable were his arrangements, that on 
King William ascending the throne, he issued a warrant 
ratifying all previous orders, and leaving the details of the 
management of the Ordnance unaltered. In the autumn of 
1688, Lord Dartmouth's office — never a sinecure — became 
laborious in the extreme. Daily and hourly requisitions 
reached him from the excited King and his Ministers, for the 
arming of the ships and the Kegiments which were being 
raised in every direction. Authority was given to raise 
more gunners, as if experience could be created in a moment 
and the science of Artillery begotten in a man's mind, with- 
out previous study, for " twelve-pence by the day." To 
Chatham the Master-General hurries to superintend the 
fitting-out of the men-of-war, and next day, for the same 
purpose, to Sheerness, where he finds a despatch from the 
trembling Privy Council, ordering him to fill six merchant 
ships with fireworks to accompany the King's fleet, as fire- 



12 M aster s-Geiieral of the Ordfiance. Chap. I. 

ships against the enemy. A terrible life did poor Lord 
Dartmouth lead at this time. Sometimes his letters are 
written from on board ship in the river, sometimes from his 
cabin in the ' Kesolution,' at Portsmouth ; very frequently 
from Windsor, where James anxiously kept him near his 
person, plying him now with questions and now with con- 
tradictory orders. Sometimes we find him writing at mid- 
night, ordering his loving friends, the principal officers of 
the Ordnance, to meet him next day at the Cockpit, in 
AVhitehall ; at other times he swoops down unexpectedly on 
the bewildered officials in the Tower. In the old, quiet days, 
his correspondence was distinguished by an almost excessive 
courtesy ; but now, in these days of fever and in the depth 
of his anxiety, it almost disappears ; orders are issued Like 
minute-guns ; explanations of delay are fretfully demanded ; 
and a bombardment is incessant of peremptory inquiries as 
to the state of His Majesty's ships and stores. 

His Lieutenant-General, Sir Henry Tichborne, has a hard 
place of it at this time. With so energetic a Master at the 
Board, his work hitherto has been of the lightest, and his 
head seems now to reel under the change. For a few weeks 
he holds out, but by the end of November in that eventful 
year matters came to a crisis with poor Sir Henry. He can 
no longer attend the meetings of the Board ; a violent fit of 
the gout prevents him, which he carefully warns his col- 
leagues will, in all likelihood, continue some time : and with 
a piteous prayer that, out of the small sum in hand, the 
Board will pay the salaries of the " poor gunners, as sub- 
sisting but from day to day," Sir Henry's name disappears 
from the Board's proceedings, and the History of the 
Ordnance knows him no more. 

After this time the Honourable Board seems, when its 
Master was absent, to have enacted the part of the Unjust 
Steward, for we find various debts remitted to creditors who 
could not pay, and not a small issue of debentures to those 
whose friendship it was desirable to retain. All through the 
records of their proceedings at this time is to be traced, like 
a monotonous accompaniment in music, the work of that im- 



Chap. I. Their duties, 13 

movable being the permanent clerk. From the dull offices 
in the Tower issue the same solemn Warrants, appointing 
this man an Ordnance labourer at six-and-twenty pounds 
a year, and that man a gunner at twelve-pence a day, just 
as if no Bevolution were at hand, and no foreign foe were 
menacing the very existence of their King and Honourable 
Board together. Lord Dartmouth may be guilty of curt and 
feverish memoranda, but the permanent clerk never moves 
out of his groove, nor shall posterity ever trace any uneasi- 
ness in his formal work. 

And then comes the sudden gap in all the books; the blank 
pages more eloquent than words ; the disappearance of the 
familiar signature of Dartmouth ; and the student takes up 
a fresh set of books where England took up a fresh King. 

The duties of the Master-General, and the various members 
and servants of the Board of Ordnance, were first reduced to 
a systematic form in Charles 11. *s reign, while Lord Dart- 
mouth was in office. The Warrant defining these was 
confirmed by James 11. on the 4th February, 1686 ; by 
William HI., on the 8th March, 1689 ; by Queen Anne, on 
the 30th June, 1702 ; by George I., on the 30th July, 1715 ; 
and by George 11., on the 17th June, 1727. 

Although some alterations were made by George III., they 
were very slight, and rendered necessary by the occasional 
absence of the Master-General and by the creation of the 
Koyal Military Academy at Woolwich — the Cadets attend- 
ing that institution being placed in a very special manner 
tmder the care and superintendence of the Master and 
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. The orders under 
which the Board worked up to the beginning of this cen- 
tury were, therefore, practically those instituted during Lord 
Dartmouth's term of office; and in examining them, one 
cannot fail to be struck with their exhaustive anticipation 
of every circumstance which might arise for consideration. 

The Master of the Ordnance, as he was originally called — 
sometimes also termed the Captain-General of the Artillery — 
received, in 1604, the title of Master-General ; and was con- 
sidered one of the most important personages in the realm. 



14 Masters-General of the Ordyiance. Chap. l. 

Since the great Marlborough held the office, it has seldom 
been given to any one not already possessed of the highest 
military rank : but this was not always the case. Lord 
Dartmouth was plain Colonel Legge when first appointed, 
and the social, as well as military rank of his predecessors, 
was sometimes far from exalted. It became, therefore, 
necessary to attach to the office some relative military 
status: and- accordingly we find a Warrant issued by 
James II., bearing date the 13th May, 1686, directing that 
the Master-General of the Ordnance should always have 
"the rank, as well as the respect, due to our youngest 
" Lieutenant-General : and that our will and pleasure is, 
" that he command in our Garrisons as formerly, but do not 
** take upon him the charge or command as a Lieutenant- 
" General in the field, without our especial commission or 
" appointment." The command in the Garrisons referred 
to in the Warrant is in allusion to the Master-Gunners 
and Gunners of the various Garrisons, whose allegiance to 
the Board of Ordnance, as being, in fact, custodians of the 
Ordnance Stores, was always insisted on. 

The relative rank awarded to the Master-General entitled 
him, when passing through any Camp or Garrison, to a 
guard of 1 officer, 1 sergeant, and 20 men; the guards 
were compelled to turn out to him and the drums to beat a 
march ; and the officers and soldiers of the Begiments he 
passed had to turn out at the head of their respective 
camps. In the old pre-regimental days, when the Master- 
General took the field in time of war, in his official capacity, 
he was attended by a Chancellor, thirty gentlemen of the 
Ordnance, thirty harquebussiers on horseback, with eight 
halberdiers for his guard, two or three interpreters, a 
minister or preacher, a physician, a master-surgeon and 
his attendant, a trumpeter, kettledrums, and chariot with 
six white horses, two or three engineers, or more if required, 
and two or three refiners of gunpowder. These kettledrums 
do not seem to have been used in the field after 1748. They 
were used by the train of Artillery employed in Ireland in 
1689, and the cost of the drums and their carriage on that 



^TiAP. I. Their pay. 15 

occasion, was estimated at 1587. 9a. As the reader comes to 
compare the wages of the drummer and his coachman— 4». 
and 3s. per diem respectively — with the pay given to other 
by no means unimportant members of an Artillery train, he 
will realize what a prominent position these officials were 
supposed to hold. The drummer's suit of clothes cost 50Z., 
while a gunner's was valued at 5Z. Bs. 4df. Even the coach- 
man could not be clad under 157. — nearly three times the 
cost of a gunner's clothes. 

Prior to the date of King Charles's Warrant, the pay of 
the Master-General had been very fluctuating, being consi- 
derably afiected by fees, and even by sales of places in 
the department. By that Warrant, however, it was fixed at 
a certain sum, inclusive of all perquisites, and the amount 
would appear to have been 1500/. per annum. This remained 
unchanged until the formation of the Cadet Company, when 
the annual sum of 474Z. lOa^ was added to the Master- 
General's salary, in his capacity as Captain of the Company, 
and charged in the Begimental accounts of the Boyal Artil- 
lery. Considerable strides in the direction of further aug- 
mentation were afterwards made, more especially in 1801, 
until we find Lord Chatham, in 1809, drawing no less than 
3709Z. per annum as Master-General of the Ordnance. 

There was an order forbidding any increase to the esta- 
blishment of the Ordnance without the King's sign-manual, 
but it speedily became a dead letter ; and changes were fre- 
quently made without authority, involving additional expense, 
and covered by something akin to supplementary estimates. 
In fact, the Parliamentary Commission which sat in 1810 to 
inquire into the various departments of the Ordnance ascer- 
tained that both in matters ot* personnel and materiel the 
power of the Master-General in his own department was 
simply unfettered. That it was not more frequently abused 
speaks well for the honesty of the department, and the 
honour of its chief officers. 

The Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance at the meetings 
of the Board was like the Deputy-Chairman of a Company. 
His powers were in abeyance when the Master was present ; 



i6 Masters-General of tlu Ordnance. Chap. I. 

although there were olie or two cases in which his signature 
was required as one of the quorum necessary to legalize the 
business transacted. His office was created by Henry Yill., 
the designation of General being added subsequently. Until 
the days of Sir Christopher Musgrave he had an official resi- 
dence in the Minories ; and on its being taken from him he 
received in lieu the annual allowance of 3007. Another per- 
quisite of the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance was the 
ground called, as the old deed expresses it, ** Y* old Artillery 
" Garden situate near y° Spitle in y* parish of St. Buttolph, 
" Bishopsgate :" but this also being taken away from him, 
he was allowed, in March, 1683, the large manor-house and 
grounds commonly known as the Tower Place at Woolwich, 
together with the Warren, &c., where the Boyal Arsenal now 
stands, a name given on the occasion of the visit paid to it 
by George III. in the spring of 1805. The use of this pro- 
perty by the Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance was, how- 
ever, trammelled by the following conditions: — "That the 
" proving of great guns should go on as heretofore in Wool- 
" wich : that the Government should have full control over 
" all wharves, magazines, cranes, &c., and that a dwelling 
" for the Master-Gunner of England should be allowed in 
" the said Mansion-house, and lodging for ten fee'd gunners 
" in the adjoining houses, and also for such Ordnance 
" labourers as might be necessary." 

The proper salary of the Lieutenant-General at first was 
800Z. per annum, supplemented, as mentioned above, by 
300Z. in lieu of a house ; but rising like the pay of the other 
officers of the Board, we find in 1810, that it amounted to 
1525Z., besides an allowance for stationery. The Parlia- 
mentary Committee which sat in 1810 and 1811 suggested 
the abolition of the office of Lieutenant-General — a sugges- 
tion which was ultimately carried out in 1831. It was 
revived for a short time during the Crimean war, Sir Hew 
Boss holding the appointment during the absence at the 
seat of war of the Master-General, Lord Baglan ; but this 
was a contingency which the Committee had foreseen, and 
was prepared to meet. 



Chap. I. TJieir pay, 17 

In examining the individual, apart from the collective, 
duties of the principal officers of the Ordnance, we find that 
the Lieutenant-General had the supervision of the military 
branch, and acted as a sort of Adjutant to the Master, who 
looked to him for all information connected with the various 
trains of artillery at the Tower and elsewhere. These he 
was bound always to have fit and ready to march : he had to 
direct and superintend the practice of the Master-Gunner 
of England, Firemaster and his mates. Fireworkers and 
Gunners, and acquaint the Master with their proficiencies ; 
and also to see that all officials connected with the Depart- 
ment did their several duties. 

The other four principal officers of the Ordnance were the 
Surveyor-General, the Clerk of the Ordnance, the Store- 
keeper, and the Clerk of the Deliveries, any three of whom 
formed a quorum. At the beginning of the present century 
the salaries of these officials were respectively 1225/., 825/., 
725/., and 1000/. with a further annual sum of 200/. to the 
Clerk of the Deliveries during war. The whole of the prin- 
cipal officers were allowed 25/. a year for stationery, besides 
certain patent fees varying from 54/. 15a. in the case of the 
principal Storekeeper, to 18/. 58. in that of the Clerk of 
the Deliveries. The departmental expenses were swollen 
by an army of public and private secretaries, clerks, and 
attendants. 

As the work of the Lieutenant-General lay with the 
persoiinely so that of the Surveyor-General lay with the 
materiel. On him lay the responsibility of superintending 
all stores, taking remains, and noting all issues and receipts. 

The Clerk of the Ordnance had, in addition to the ordinary 
correspondence of the department, to look after salaries, 
debts, debentures, and bills falling due, and generally to 
perform, on a large scale, the duties of a modern book-keeper. 
If we may judge by the correspondence on financial matters 
which is to be found among the Ordnance liecords, there 
must have been many a Clerk of the Ordnance whose days 
and nights were haunted by visions of bills falling duo which 
could not be paid. During the times of the Stuarts, the 

VOL. I. i: 



w 



\ 



1 8 Masters-General of the Ordnance. Chap. I. 

poverty of the office was sometimes as terrible as the shifts 
to which the Board had recourse were pitiable. 

Money seems to have been more plentiful during the reign 
of William III. ; but when Queen Anne came to the throne, 
England's continental wars drained the Ordnance exchequer 
wofuUy ; and while most of their debts were only paid in 
part, many were never paid at all. An amusing incident of 
the Board's impecuniosity occurred in 1713. An expedition 
to Canada having taken place, the gunners and matrosses 
employed were found after a time to be sadly in want of 
clothing. The Commissary of the Ordnance on the spot, 
being without funds, drew a bill on the Honourable Board 
for 140/., which instead of selling as usual to the merchants, 
he disposed of to one of the gunners, apparently a man of 
means, and destined ever after to be immortal, Mr. Frederick 
Price. 

The bill, in due course, reached the Tower, but only two- 
thirds of the amount were paid. Mr. Price naturally remon- 
strated; but as the proceeding seems not to have been 
unusual, the Board took no notice. So the injured gunner 
petitioned the Queen, and a courteous letter from the Trea- 
sury speedily reached the Tower, in which a nice distinction 
was drawn between Mr. Price's case and that of the mer- 
chants, who had been similarly treated, " who had been great 
"gainers as well by the exchange as by the stores and 
" provisions which they had sold." The Board admitted the 
force of the reasoning, and the creditor got his own again. 

The duties of the storekeeper are expressed by his title, 
and involved close and frequent personal inspection of stores, 
as well as great clerical labour. 

The Clerk of the Deliveries had to draw all proportions for 
delivering any stores, and to keep copies of all orders or 
warrants for the proportions, and journals vouched by the 
persons who indented for them. He had to compare monthly 
the indents taken for all deliveries of stores with the Store- 
keeper's proportions ; and had to attend, either in person or 
represented by one of his sworn clerks, at all deliveries of 
stores, and when taking remains of ships. 



Chap. I. Their power and iftfiuence. 1 9 

The Treasurer of the Ordnance, who had to find heavy 
personal securities, was one of the most important of the 
remaining officers attached to the Board. 

So much for the individual duties of the principal officers 
of the Ordnance, duties which, it must be admitted, were 
generally well and conscientiously performed. Their acts, 
in their collective capacity, are more open to criticism. 
Although the Master-General could act independently of the 
Board, when he chose, and had full power of dismissing or 
suspending any of the officers, reporting the same to the 
Sovereign, he generally worked by means of the Board and, 
with his consent, their acts were perfectly legal and binding 
without his presence. His personal influence appeared chiefly 
in matters of patronage and promotion, and, after the founda- 
tion of the Eoyal Military Academy, it appeared in a very 
marked way in all matters connected with its government. 
But, with these exceptions, the actions of the Board which 
were most public, and call for most comment, are those which 
are to be traced to it in its collective capacity ; and, as we 
shall see in the course of this History, their joint acts were 
often characterized by a pettiness, a weakness, and a blind- 
ness worthy of the most wooden-headed vestry of the 
nineteenth century. It is marvellous how frequently men 
who, when acting by themselves, display the utmost zeal 
and the strongest sense of responsibility, lose both when 
associated with others for joint action, where their indivi- 
duality is concealed. The zeal seems instantly to evaporate : 
their sense of justice gets blunted by the traditions of the 
Board of which they have become members; and even 
the most radical — after a few useless kicks and plunges — 
soon settles into the collar, and assists the team to drag on 
the lumbering vehicle of obstruction and unreason. The 
power over a Board which is exercised by its permanent 
clerks is not the less tyranny because it is adroitly exercised, 
or because the tyrants are necessary evils. If an individual 
is put at the head of a department, self-esteem assists a 
sense of duty in making hiifi master the details, and ensure 
the proper working of the machine. But when he finds 



20 M aster S'General of the Ordnance. Chap. I. 

himself merely one of several shifting and shadowy units 
whose individualities are lost, and whose faults are visited 
upon an empty abstraction instead of on themselves, he 
speedily in mere sympathy becomes like them ; and, like 
them, he bows to the customs and precedents quoted by the 
permanent officials with an ill-disguised contempt for those 
to whom these precedents are unfamiliar. Then follows the 
unresisting signature of documents placed before the Board 
by clerks who have no idea of anything beyond their office 
walls — who imagine the world was created for them, not they 
for the world, and who believe and almost say, that the very 
members of the Board are there merely to be the channels of 
their oflfensive and dictatorial opinions. There has been in 
all ages in this country an officialism which cannot look 
beyond the letter of the law, whose representatives decline 
to enter into argument, to consider the circumstances of a 
case, or to make allowance for emergencies : — whose minds 
prefer sinning in a groove to doing right out of it : and 
whose conduct would often appear malicious, were not malice 
too active a feeling to enter into their cold and contracted 
bosoms. 

This officialism was often rampant in the Ordnance ; nor 
with the extinction of that Honourable Board can it be said 
to have vanished from England's administration. 

As in the history of every corporation, there were at the 
Ordnance fits of economy and extravagance. The extra- 
vagance always began at the Tower, the centre of the Board's 
official centre and kingdom; the economy away at the 
circumference, among poor gunners at distant stations, 
among decaying barracks and fortifications crying out loudly 
for repair. It seems destined to be the motto of depart- 
ments in every age, " Charity begins at home : economy 
** abroad." After the peace of Utrecht, there was a deter- 
mined resolution on the part of the Government to retrench, 
— a wise and praiseworthy resolution, if the method to be 
adopted were judicious. The Treasury communicated with 
the Ordnance: and the Tower having made plausible pro- 
mises to Whitehall, the Honourable Board met to see what 



Chap. I. Retrenchment by the Board. 21 

conld be done. Starting with the official postulate, so cha- 
racteristic of English departments, that their own salaries 
were to be untouched, the field of their labour was in 
proportion contracted. Ultimately they decided to econo- 
mize in Scotland : they reduced all the stores there ; voted 
no money for the repair of the fortifications or barracks; 
and, regardless of past services, they reduced the gunners 
in various garrisons. 

From the far north a plaintive appeal meets the student's 
eye. It is from one John Murray, who had been Master- 
Gunner of Fort William for nineteen years, and who in this 
fi t of economy had been ruthlessly struck off the establishment. 
Verily, ere many months be over, honest John shall have his 
revenge ! 

From Scotland, the Board turned to the Colonies, and 
reminded them that they must pay for their own engineers 
and gunners, if they wished to keep them. A committee 
sat to inquire how the American dependencies could be made 
to pay for themselves, — the beginning of that official irrita- 
tion which culminated in the blaze in which we lost them 
altogether ; and in the mean time demands for stores were 
neglected. One unhappy Governor wrote that he had under 
his command a company of troops which for fifteen years had 
received no fresh bedding : and " many of the soldiers were 
*'very ill, and in y® winter ready to starve." A special 
messenger was sent to lay the matter before the Board ; but, 
he having been recalled by domestic reasons before succeeding 
in his prayer, the Board adroitly pigeon-holed his petition 
for four years ; and, in the language of a subsequent letter, 
"For want of bedding, many of y® soldiers have since 
" perished." 

But ere long came the inevitable swing in the other 
direction. Queen Anne died; King George had not yet 
landed at Greenwich; there was agitation and conspiracy 
among the adherents of the Stuarts, and Scotland was 
simmering with rebellion. Then did the fearful Privy Council 
send letter after letter to the Ordnance urging them to find 
arms for 10,000 men for Scotland, or for 5000, or even for 



i 



22 M aster S'Gejieral of the Ordnance, CuAr. i 

4000 ; but from their diminished stores eyen this small body 
could with diflSculty be armed. A train of artillery was 
ordered to march, and could not : everything was starved, 
and in chaos ; and its commander, Albert Borgard, wrote, 
^'Things are in such confusion as cannot be described." 
Orders were sent to man and defend Fort William, the now 
desolate scene of John Murray's nineteen years ; and General 
Maitland, on reaching it, reported that " the parapets want 
'' repairing : there are no palisadoes ; without an engineer to 
" help me, I can but make the best of a bad bargain." He 
had to advance the money himself : " Who pays me," he 
wrote, " I know not." By next messenger he asked for a 
little gunpowder, a few spades, pickaxes, and wheelbarrows, 
all rather useful articles in a fortification, but which had 
vanished under the breath of economy. There were no 
gunners, he wrote, to work the guns ; and he requested that 
the hand-grenades which were coming from Edinburgh 
might be filled and fitted with fuzes before they should be 
sent to him, '^ for we have none here that understand this 
** matter well." Of a truth, John Murray had his revenge ! 

The principal gate of the fortress was so rotten and 
shattered that it could not be made use of, and was of no 
defence at all. There never had been any gate, the General 
wrote, to the port of the ravelin ; and unless the platform 
could be renewed, it would be impossible to work the guns. 
" And," he adds in a well-rounded period, " the old timber 
"houses in which the officers of the Garrison are lodged, 
"and also the old timber chapell, are all in such a shat- 
" tered pitifuU condition, that neither the first can be lodged 
" in one, nor the Garrison attend divine service in the 
" other without being exposed to the inconvenience of all 
" weathers." 

Nor was General Maitland singular. From Dumbarton 
Castle Lord Glencairn wrote to the Board, " We not only 
" want in a manner everything, but we have not so much as a 
" boat. And, besides, the Garrison wants near four months* 
"pay." From Carlisle the Governor wrote 'that there were 
only four barrels of powder in the garrison, a deficiency of 






Chap. I. Relations with the Navy, 23 

every species of stores, and only four gunners, "three of 
"which are superannuated." Most of the gun-carriages were 
onseryiceable, and the platforms wanted repairing. There 
was haste and panic at Portsmouth, as empty stores and 
unarmed ships warned the Board what work there was before 
them. And from Chester, Mr. Asheton, the zealous governor 
just appointed, reported, " The guns are all here, but not the 
carriages, so that the stores, &c., would be of service — not 
prejudice — to an enemy." The only men there who were 
capable of doing any work were forty invalids ; and he there- 
fore begged for assistance in men and stores, " in order " he 
wrote, ** that I may be capable of doing my country service 
w^ ** by maintaining the rights of our gracious Sovereign King 

" George against aU Popish Pretenders whatsoever." 

si As the guns of the Tower blazed out their welcome to the 

>MBjng, the smoke must have clouded over such an accumula- 

"^ tion of testimony in the Ordnance offices hard by, proving 

^ that there may be an economy which is no economy at all, 

\as might almost have penetrated the intelligence of a Board. 

This period in the history of the Ordnance is unsurpassed, 

even by the many blundering times which, in the course of 

these volumes, we shall have to examine, down to that day 

in the year of grace 1855 when, " from the first Cabinet at 

" which Lord Palmerston ever sat as Premier, the Secretary 

" at War brought home half a sheet of paper, containing a 

" memorandum that the Ordnance — one of the oldest Con- 

" stitutional departments of the Monarchy .... was to be 

" abolished." ^ 

In the early days of the Ordnance Board, its relations 
with the navy were more intimate than in later years. The 
gunners of the ships were under its control, and had to 
answer to it for the expenditure of their stores. In this par- 
ticular, as in most details of checking and audit, the Board 
was stern to a degree, and not unfrequently unreasonable. 
In 1712, the captain of a man-of-war, sent to Newfoundland 
in charge of a convoy, found the English inhabitants of 

1 Clodc. 



•^4 MasterS'General of the Ordnance. Chap. t. 



\ 



the Island in a state of great danger and uneasiness, and 
almost unprotected. At their urgent request, he left with 
them much of his ordnance and stores before he returned to 
England. With the promptitude which characterized the 
Board's action towards any one who dared to think for him- 
self, it refused to pass the captain's or gunner's accounts, 
nor would it authorize them to draw their pay. Remon- 
strance was useless ; explanations were unattended to : the 
lesson had to be taught to its subordinates, however harshly 
and idiotically, that* freewill did not belong to them, and 
that to assume any responsibility was to commit a grievous 
sin. It actually required a petition to the Queen and the 
Treasury before the unhappy men could get a hearing, and, 
as a natural consequence, an approval and confirmation of 
their conduct. 

The arming of all men-of-war belonged to the Ordnance ; 
indeed, the office was created for the Navy, although, in 
course of time. Army details almost entirely monopolized it. 
Although obliged to act on the requisitions of the Lord 
High Admiral, their control in their own details, and over the 
gunners of the ship as regarded their stores, was unfettered. 
The repairing of the ships, and to a considerable extent 
their internal fittings, were part of the Board's duties ; but 
it is to be hoped that the technical knowledge of some of 
their officials exceeded that possessed by the Masters- 
General. A letter is extant from one of these distinguished 
individuals, written on board th6 * Katherine * yacht, in 1682, 
to his loving friends, the principal officers of the Ordnance. 
" I desire " he wrote, " you would give Mr. Young notice to 
"proceed no further in making y* hangings for y®. great 
" bedstead in y® lower room in y® Katherine yacht, till ye 
" have directions from me." 

But the Naval branch of the Board's duties is beyond the 
province of the present work. Of the Military branch much 
will be better described in the chapters concerning the old 
Artillery trains, the Eoyal Military Academy, and in the 
general narrative of the Eoyal Artillery's existence as a 
regiment. A few words, however, may be said here with 



Chap. I. The Board as Landowners, 25 

reference to their civil dnticB, once of vast importance, but, 
with the naval branch, swallowed np, like the fat kine of 
Pharaoh's dream, by the. military demands which were con- 
stantly on the increase, and were fostered by the military 
predilections of the Masters and Lieutenants-General. 

The civil duties have been wfU and clearly defined by 
Clode in his 'Military Forces of the Crown,' vol. ii. He 
divides into duties — 1. As to Stores; 2. As Landowners; 
3. As to the Survey of the United Kingdom; 4. As to 
Defensive Works ; 5. As to Contracts ; and 6. As to Manu- 
facturing Establishments. 

Of the first of these it may be said that their system was 
excellent. Periodical remains were taken (the oldest extant 
being dated April, 1559), and a system of issues and receipts 
was in force which could hardly be improved upon. 

In their capacity as Landowners, the members of the 
Board were good and cautious stewards ; but as buyers of 
land, their characteristic crops up of thinking but little 
of other men's feelings or convenience. Perhaps their line of 
action in this respect can be best illustrated by an anecdote 
which comes down over many years in the shape of an indig- 
nant and yet pitiful remonstrance. It was in good Queen 
Anne's time, and the Board had formed a scheme for forti- 
fying Portsmouth. They appointed Commissioners to arrange 
the situation of the various works, and to come to terms with 
the landowners. These gentlemen did their duty; and, 
among others, one James Dixon was warned that some land 
on which he had recently built a brewhouse would bo 
required for the Board's purposes. A jury was empannelled, 
and assessed the value of the whole at 4000Z. When James 
Dixon built his brewhouse, he had borrowed money on 
mortgage: the interest would, he believed, be easily paid, 
and the principal of the debt gradually reduced by the 
earnings of the brewery. But after the jury sat, not a drop 
of beer was brewed : no orders could be taken, with the fear 
hanging over him that he must turn out at any moment; 
nor could he introduce additional improvements or fixtures 
after the assessment had been made, as he would never 



26 Masters-General of the Ordnafue. Chap. I. 



k 



receive a farthing for them over the first valuation. Little 
knowing the admirable system of official management in 
which an English department excels, he sat waiting for the 
purchase-money. One month passed after another : Christ- 
mas came, and yet another, and another, and the only knocks 
at James Dixon's door were from the angry creditor demand- 
ing his money. At last, after waiting four years, — the grey 
hairs thickening on the unhappy brewer's head, — the knock 
of a lawyer's writ came ; and before the Master of the Bolls 
his miserable presence and story were alike demanded. The 
narrative ends abruptly with a petition from him for six 
months' grace. Even then hope was not dead in him ; and 
he babbled in his prayer that " he was in hopes by this time 
" to have redeemed it out of the 4000/. agreed to be paid 
" y' Petitioner as aforesaid." 

In the course of our story we shall find many such lives 
crushed beneath the wheels of an official Juggernaut. Alas ! 
that Juggernaut is still a god ! 

* The Survey of the United Kingdom ' will be the most 
honourable vehicle for transmitting to posterity the story of 
the Board's existence ; for, although not yet completed, to the 
Board is due the credit of originating a work whose national 
value can hardly be over-estimated. The defensive works 
erected under the Ordnance already live almost in history, 
so rapidly has the science of fortification had to move to keep 
pace with the strength of attack. Their contracts showed 
but little favouritism, and, on the whole, were just : they 
included everything, from the building of forts to the manu- 
facture of gunpowder and small arms ; and, in peace and war, 
they reached nearly over the whole civilized world. With 
this extensive area came the necessity for representatives of 
the Board at the various stations, — who were first, and wisely, 
civilians, three in number ; afterwards, most foolishly, owing 
to the increasing military element at the Board, two soldiers, 
the commanding officers of Artillery and Engineers, and one 
civilian. And as no man can serve two masters, it was soon 
apparent that the military members could not always serve 
their local General and their absent Board ; discipline was 



Chap. I. Summary of the Board's history. 27 

not unfrequently strained ; jealousy and illwill supervened ; 
and when the death of the Board sounded the knell of the 
Bespective officers, as they were termed, there can be no 
doubt that it removed an anomaly which was also a danger. 
Under the new and existing system, the commanding officers 
of Artillery and Engineers occupy their proper places : they 
are now the advisers of their General, not his critics : and 
the door is opened for the entry of the officers of the scientific 
corps upon an arena where civilian traditions are unknown 
or powerless. 

Of the manufacturing departments of the Ordnance, what 
has to be said will come better in its place in the course of 
the narrative. 

In summing up, not so much the contents of this Chapter, 
which is necessarily brief, as the study of the Board's history, 
the following are the ideas presented to the student's mind : 
— The Board of Ordnance formed a standard of political 
excellence, — which it endeavoured to follow when circum- 
stances permitted, — of financial and economical excellence, 
which it planted everywhere among its subordinates for 
worship, but which was not allowed the same adoration in its 
own offices in the Tower. It saved money to the country 
legitimately by an admirable system of check and audit — 
illegitimately too often by a false economy, which in the 
end proved no economy at all ; it obstructed our Generals 
in war, and hampered them in peace : it was extravagant on 
its own members and immediate retainers to an extent which 
can only be realized by those who study the evidence given 
before the Parliamentary Commission of 1810-11. Jobbery 
existed, but rarely secret or underhand ; and its extensive 
patronage was, on the whole, well and fairly exercised. And 
although every day shows more clearly the wisdom of remov- 
ing from under the control of a Board that part of our army, 
the importance of which is made more apparent by every war 
which occurs, yet the Artilleryman must always remember 
with kindly interest that it was to this board and its great 
Master (Marlborough) that his Regiment owes its existence, 
that to it we owe a nurture which was sometimes too detailed 



28 Masters-General of the Ordnance, Chap. I. 

and careful, but under which we earned a reputation in many 
wars ; and that, after a long peace, it placed in the Crimea, 
for one of the greatest and most difficult sieges in history, — 
difficult for other reasons than mere military, — the finest 
siege-train of Artillery that the world has ever seen. In 
command of the English Army, during this war, the Board's 
last Master died ; and in the list which preceded him, and 
with which this chapter closes, will be found names which 
would almost atone for the worst offences ever committed by 
the Board over which their owners presided. 



I 



List op the Masters-Genebal or the Ordnance. 

The most recent list of these distinguished officials is that 
published in Kane's * List of Officers of the Eoyal Artillery.' 
In it all the Masters before the reign of Henry Vlll. are 
ignored, as being merely commanders of the Artillery on 
expeditions or in districts. But this seems somewhat stern 
ruling. Undoubtedly Henry VIII. reorganized the Ordnance 
Department, and defined the position of the Master, as never 
had been done before, and the sequence of the Masters from 
his reign is clear and intelligible. But before his time there 
were not merely Masters of the Ordnance on particular expe- 
ditions, but also for life ; and there were certainly Offices of 
the Ordnance in the Tower. It has, therefore, been thought 
advisable in the following list to prefix a few names, which 
seem deserving of being included, although omitted in 
* Kane's List.' 

The earliest of whom there is any record is 

Kaxjf Bigod, who was appointed on 2nd June, 1483, " for 
life." His life does not, however, seem to have been a very 
long one, for we find 

Sir KiCHARD Gyleford, who was appointed in 1485. 

Sir Sampson Norton was undoubtedly Master of the 
Ordnance, appointed in 1513, as has been proved by extant 
MSS. 

The next one about whom there is any certainty would 
appear to b^ the one who heads ' Kane's List ' — 



Chap. I. List of the Masters-General. 29 

Sir Thomas Seymour, who was appointed about 1537. 
Other lists show Sir Christopher Morris as Master at this 
time ; but there seems little doubt that he was merely Lieu- 
teuaut of the Ordnance, although a distinguished soldier* 
and frequently in command of the Artillery on service. 

If one may credit * Dugdale's Baronage,' the next in order 
was 

Sir Thomas Darcie (afterwards Baron Darcie), appointed 
in 1545 : but if so, he merely held it for a short time, for wo 
find him succeeded by 

Sir Philip Hoby, who was appointed in 1548. 
* Grose's List ' and others interpolate Sir Francis Fleming, 
as having been appointed in 1547 ; but this is undoubtedly 
an error, and his name wisely rejected by the author of 
* Kjine's List,' where it is placed, as it should be, in the list of 
Liieutenants of the Ordnance. There is a folio of Ordnance 
accounts still in existence, extending over the period between 
29th March, 1547, and the last day of June, 1553, signed by 
Sir Francis Fleming, as LieutenarU of the Ordnance. 
The next in rotation in the best lists is 
Sir KiCHARD Southwell, Knight, shown by * Kane's List ' as 
appointed in February, 1554, and, by certain indentures and 
Ordnance accounts which are still extant, as being Master of 
the Ordnance, certainly in 1557 and 1558. 

The next Master held the appointment for many years. 
He was 

Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, and can be proved 
from indentures in the possession of the late Craven Ord, 
Esq., which are probably still in existence, and from which 
extracts were made in 1820 by the compiler of a manuscript 
now in the Royal Artillery Library, to have been appointed 
on the 19th February, 1559, and to have held the office until 
21st February, 1589, over thirty years. 

Possibly owing to the difficulty of finding any one ready to 
undertake the duties of one who had had so much experience 
— a difficulty which occurred more than once again — the office 
was placed in commission after 1589, probably until 1596. 
From * Burghleigh's State Papers ' we learn that the Com- 



30 MasierS'General of l/ie Ordnance. Chap. l. 

missioners were, the Lord Treasureb, the Lord High 
Admiral, the Lord Chamberlain, and Vice-CnAMBERLAiN 
Sir J. FoRTEScuE. 

On 19th March, 1596, Robert, Earl op Essex, was ap- 
pointed Master of the Ordnance, and held the appointment 
until removed by Elizabeth, in 1600. No record of a suc- 
cessor occurs until the 10th September, 1603, when 

Charles, Earl op Devonshire, was appointed. He died 
in 1606, and was succeeded by 

Lord Carew, appointed Master-General throughout Eng- 
land, for life, in 1608. He was created Earl of Totnes in 
1625, and died in 1629. From a number of Ordnance war- 
rants and letters still extant, there can be no doubt that he 
held the oflSce until his death. For a year after, until 5th 
March, 1630, we learn, from the Harleian Manuscripts, that 
there was no Master-General. On that date 

Howard Lord Verb was appointed, and held office until 
the 2nd September, 1634, when 

MouNTJOY, Earl op Newport, was appointed. 

Then came the troubles in England — the Eevolution, the 
Commonwealth, and at last the Bestoration. Lord Newport 
seems to have remained Master-General the whole time ; for 
on Charles H. coming to the throne, he issued directions 
specifying, "Forasmuch as the Earl of Newport may, by 
" Letters Patent from our Koyal Father, pretend to the office 
" of our Ordnance, We, for weighty reasons, think fit to 
'* suspend him from said charge, or anything belonging 
" thereto ; and Our Will is that you prepare the usual Bill 
" for his suspension." 

On the 22nd January, 1660, a most able Master-General 
was appointed, whose place the King afterwards found it 
most difficult to fill. He was 

Sir William Compton, Knight, and he remained in office 
until his death. By letters patent, on the 21st October, 
1664, specifying that he had not determined with himself to 
supply the place of office of his Master of the Ordnance, then 
void by the death of Sir William Compton, and considering 
the importance of his affairs at that time to have that service 



Chap. I. List of the Masters-General. 3 1 

well provided for, the King appointed as Commissioners to 
execnte the office of Master of the Ordnance 
John, Lord Berkly op Stratton,] 
Sir John Duncombe, Knight, and | 
Thomas Chicheley. J 

This Commission lasted until the 4th June, 1670, when 
the last-named Commissioner (now Sir Thomas Chicheley, 
Knight), was appointed Master of the Ordnance, and in the 
warrant for his appointment, which is now in the Tower 
Liihrary, there is a recapitulation of the names of previous 
Masters, which includes one — placed between Sir Eichard 
Southwell and the Earl of Essex — which does not appear in 
any other list, but which one would gladly see included — 
Sir Philip Sidney. 

After the death of Sir Thomas Chicheley, the office was 
again placed in Commission, the incumbents being 
Sir John Chicheley, son of the late Master, 
Sir William Hickman, and 

Sir Christopher Musgravb, the last-named of whom after- 
wards became Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. This 
Commission lasted from 1679 to 8th January, 1682, when the 
celebrated 

" George, Lord Dartmouth," became Master, having held 
the office of Lieutenant-General under the Commission from 
Ist July, 1679, as plain Colonel George Legge. He remained 
in office until after the Beyolution of 1688, when he forfeited 
it for his adherence to the King. His successor, appointed 
by William in. in 1689, and afterwards killed at the Battle 
of the Boyne, rejoiced in the following sounding titles : 

Frederick, Duke de Schomberg, Marquis of Harwich, 
Earl of Brentford, Baron of Teys, General of their Majesties' 
Forces, Master-General of their Majesties' Ordnance, Knight 
of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Count of the Holy 
Boman Empire, Grandee of Portugal, General of the Duke 
of Brandenburg's forces, and Stadtholder of Prussia. 

After his death, the Master-Generalship remained vacant 
until July, 1693, when it was conferred upon 

Henry, Viscount Sidney, afterwards Earl of Romney, who 



32 Master S'Gencral of the Ordnance. Chap. I. 

held it until 1702. He was succeeded, almost immediately 
on Queen Anne's accession, by her favourite, the great 

John, Earl op Marlborough, who held the appointment 
until he fell into disgrace with the Queen, when he resigned 
it, with his other appointments, on 30th December, 1711, 
He was succeeded by 

EiCHARD, Earl Kivers, who, after six months, was fol- 
lowed, on 29th August, 1712, according to the British 
Chronologist, or on the 1st July, 1712, according to Kane's 
List, by 

James, Duke of Hamilton, who was killed in a duel in 
November of the same year. 

For two years the appointment remained vacant, but in 
1714 it was again conferred upon 

John, now Duke of Marlborough, who held it until his 
death, in 1722. He was succeeded, as follows, by 

William, Earl of Cadogan, on 22nd June, 1722, and by 

John, Duke of Argyle and Greenwich, on 3rd June 
1725. 

At this period there is an unaccountable confusion among 
the various authorities. The * British Chronologist ' and the 
* Biographia Britannica ' make the list run as follows : — The 
Duke of Argyle and Greenwich was succeeded, in 1740, by 
John, Duke of Montague, and resumed office again, for three 
weeks, in 1742, when, for the last time, he resigned all his 
appointments, being again succeeded by the same Duke of 
Montague, who continued to hold the office until 1749, when 
he died. 

* Grose's List,' on the other hand, makes the Duke of Argyle's 
tenure of office expire in 1730, instead of 1740, and makes 
no allusion to his brief resumption of the appointment in 
1742, and 'Kane's List' has followed this. It is possible 
that for the brief period that he was in office the second 
time, no letters patent were issued for his appointment, 
which would account for its omission in most lists ; but the 
diflference of ten years in the duration of the first appoint- 
ment is more difficult to account for. There is no doubt 
that, in 1740, the Duke of Argyle resigned all his appoint- 



Chap. I. List of the Masters-GeneraL j^i 

ments for the 'first time, but it is not stated whether the 
Master-Generalship was one, although it has been assumed. 
On the other hand, he might have been away during these 
ten years to a great extent, or allowed his officers of the 
Ordnance to sign warrants, thus giving an impression to the 
casual student that he no longer held office. The manu- 
script in the Eoyal Artillery Library, already referred to, 
bears marks of such careful research, that one is disposed to 
adopt its reading of the difficulty, which is different from 
that taken by Grose's and Ranees Lists, and agrees with the 
other works mentioned above. 

After the death of the Duke of Montague, the office 
remained vacant until the end of 1755, when it was con- 
ferred upon 

Chables, Duke op Marlborough, who held it until his 
death, on 20th October, 1758. 

During the vacancy immediately preceding the appoint- 
ment of the last-named Master-General, Sir J. Ligonier had 
been appointed Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, and for 
four years had performed the duties of both appointments, — 
acted as Colonel of the Eoyal Artillery, and Captain of the 
Cadet Company. A few months after the death of the Duke 
of Marlborough — namely, on the 3rd July, 1759 — he was 
appointed Master-General, being by this time 

Field-Marshal Viscount Lioonier. He was succeeded, 
on the 14th May, 1763, by 

John, Marquis Granby, who held it until 17th January, 
1770, when we find that he resigned all his appointments, 
except the command of the Blues. For nearly two years the 
office remained vacant, and on the 1st October, 1772, it was 
conferred upon 

George, Viscount Townshend, whoso tenure of office ex- 
tended over nearly the whole of that anxious period in 
the history of England which included such episodes as the 
American War of Independence and the great Siege of 
Gibraltar. The sequence of the remaining Masters may be 
taken from Kane's List, and is as follows : — 

VOL. L L 



34 



MasterS'Gefieral of tfie Ordnance. Chap. I. 



Charles, Duke of Richmond, K.G. 
George, Viw^ount Townshbnd 
Charles, Duke of Richmond, K.G. 
Charles, Marquis Coenwallis 
John, Earl of Chatham, K.G. 
TjOrd Moira .. 
John, Earl of Chatham, K.G. 
Henry, Earl Mulgrave .. 
Arthur, Duke of WeiiLington, K.G. 
Henry, Marquis of Anglesey, K.G. 
Viscount Beresford, K.G. .. 
Sir James Kempt, G.C.B., G.C.H. ,. 
Sir G. Murray, G.C.B., G.C.H. .. 
R. H., Lord Vivlan, G.C.B. 
Sir G. Murray, G.C.B., G.C.H. .. 
Henry, Marquis of Anglesey, K.G. 
Henry, Viscount Hardinoe, G.C.B, 
FiTZROY, Lord Raglan, G.C.B. 

On tlie abolition of the Board of Ordnance, the command 
of the Eoyal Artillery was given to the Commander-in- 
Chief of the Forces at that time, 

FiELD-MARSHAii ViscouNT Hardingb, G.C.B. His suc- 
cessor (appointed Colonel of the Royal Artillery on the 10th 
May, 1861, and at this date holding that office) was 

H.R.H. THE Duke of Cambridge, K.G., &c. &c., now 
Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief. 



.. AppoiDted 


IJan. 1782 


.. Re-appointe*l 1 April 1783 


i> 


1 Jan. 1784 


.. Appointed 


15 Feb. 1795 


i> 


J8June 1801 


i» 


14 Feb. 1806 


.. Re-appointed 4 April 1807 


. . Apix)intcd 


5 May 1810 


• • »> 


IJan. 1819 


» 


1 April 1827 


» 


28 April 1828 


>i 


30 Nov. 1830 


>i 


18 Dec. 1834 


>» 


4 May 1835 


>i 


8 Sept. 1841 


i> 


8 July 1846 


» 


8 March 1852 


• • i» 


30 Sept. 1852 



( 35 ) 



CHAPTER II. 

The Infancy of Artillery in England. 

THHE term Ordnance was in use in England before cannon 
-■- were employed; and it included every description of 
warlike weapon. The artificers employed in tlie various per- 
manent military duties were called officers of the Ordnance. 

The first record of cannon having been used in the field 
dates from Henry III. ; and with the increasing skill of the 
founders the use of cannon speedily became more general. 
But the moral influence of the guns was far beyond their 
deserts. They were served in the rudest way, and their 
movements in the field and in garrison were most uncertain, 
yet they were regarded with superstitious awe, and received 
special names, such as " John Evangelist," the " Ked Gun," 
the " Seven Sisters," " Mons Meg," &c. In proportion to 
the awe which they inspired was the inadequate moral effect 
produced on an army by the loss of its artillery, or by the 
capture of its enemy's guns. 

In the earliest days cannon were made of the rudest 
materials, — of wood, leather, iron bars, and hoops; but as 
time w.ent on guns of superior construction were imported 
from France and Holland. The first mention of the casting 
in England of " great brass cannon and culverins " is in the 
year 1521, when one John Owen began to make them, " the 
" first Englishman that ever made that kind of Artillery in 
" England.*' The first iron guns cast in this country were 
made by three foreigners at Buckstead in Sussex, in the 
year 1543. In this same year, the first shells were cast, for 
mortars of eleven inches calibre, described as " certain hollow 
" shot of cast iron, to be stuffed with fireworks, whereof 
" the bigger sort had screws of iron to receive a match, 
^* and carry fire to break in small pieces the same hoUovt 

D 1 



36 



Infancy of Artillery in England ; Chap. II. 



" shot, whereof the smallest piece hitting a man would kill 
" or spoil him." The following table ^ gives the names, 
weights, and charges of the guns which were in general use 
in the year 1574. There were, in addition to these, gnns 
called Curtals or Curtaux, Demicnrtaux, and Bombards : — 



\ 



NAMES. 



Weight. 






I 






U ' i 






o . 



1. Kobinet 


Ihs. 
200 


inches. 

u 


lbs. 
1 


■ ■ 


lbs. 


inches. 

I 


2. Falconet .. 


500 


2 


2 


14 


2 


u 


3. Falcon .. .. 


800 


2i 


21 


16 


21 


2i 


4. Minion 


1100 


3i 


4i 


17 


4i 


3 


5. Sucre 


1500 


3i 


5 


18 


5 


3i 


G. Donii-culverin .. 


3000 


41 


9 


20 


9 


4 


7. Culverin .. 


4000 


5i 


18 


25 


18 


5i 


8. Demi-cannon .. 


6000 


Gi 


30 


38 


28 


6i 


9. Cannon 


7000 


8 


60 


20 


44 


7* 


10. E.Cannon.. 


8000 


7 


42 


20 


20 


6} 


11. Basilisko .. 


9C00 


8i 


60 


21 


60 


8i 



Among the earliest occasions recorded of the use of Artil- 
lery by the English, were the campaigns in Scotland of 
Edward II. and Edward III. ; the capture of Berwick by 
the latter monarch in 1333 ; his campaigns in Flanders and 
France in 1338-39-40 ; his siege of Vannes in 1343 ; his 
successful raid in Normandy in 1346 ; the battle of Cressy 
on the 26th August in that year, when the fire of his few 
pieces of cannon is said to have struck a panic into the 
enemy ; the expedition to Ireland in 1398 ; Henry IV.'s 
defeat of the French in Wales, in 1400 ; another successful 
siege o'f Berwick in 1405 ; the capture of Harfleur in 1415 ; 



This table is roprotluced from the MSS. of the late Colonel Cloaveland. 



Chap. II. Earliest records of Us use, 37 

and the battle of Agincourt on the 25th October of that 
year; the sieges of Tongne and Caen in 1417; of Falaise 
and other towns in Normandy in 1418; concluding with 
the capitulation of Cherbourg and Bouen after protracted 
sieges, stone projectiles being thrown from the cannon with 
great success; the engagements between Edward lY. and 
Warwick, when Artillery was used on both sides ; the expe- 
dition to France in 1474, and to Scotland in 1482, when yet 
another successful siege of Berwick took place, successful 
mainly owing to the Artillery employed by the besieging 
force ; the capture of Sluis, in Flanders ; and the attack on 
Calais and Boulogne in 1491. In the sixteenth century may 
be enumerated the expedition to Flanders in 1511, in aid of 
the Duchess of Savoy ; the Siege of Terouenne and Battle 
of the Spurs in 1513 ; the Siege of Tournay ; the Battle of 
Flodden Field, where the superior accuracy of the English 
Artillery rendered that of the Scotch useless; the descent 
on the coast of France and capture of Morlies in 1523 ; the 
Siege of Bray and Montedier in 1524 ; the siege of Boulogne 
in 1544 ; the expedition to Cadiz under the Earl of Essex in 
1596, and that to the Azores in 1597. In the next century, 
during the Civil War, and in all Cromwell's expeditions, the 
use of Artillery was universal ; and the part of the century 
after the Bestoration will be alluded to in a subsequent 
chapter. 

The use, therefore, of Artillery by the English has existed 
for centuries ; but, — regarding it with modern eyes, its appli- 
cation would better deserve the term dhuse. Nothing strikes 
the student so much as the absence of the scientific Artillery 
element in the early trains ; and this feeling is followed 
by one of wonder at the patience with which our mili- 
tary leaders tolerated the almost total want of mobility 
which characterized them. Not until the last decade of the 
eighteenth century was the necessity of mobility officially 
recognized, by the establishment of the Eoyal Horse Artil- 
lery ; and it took half a century more to impress upon our 
authorities that a Field Battery might not unreasonably be 
expected to move occasionally faster than a walk. 



38 ht/atuy 0/ Artillery in England. Chap. II. 

It is difficult, in reviewing such a period as the last fifteen 
years have been in the history of Artillery in England — so 
full of improvements in every way — to single out any one of 
these as more worthy of mention than the rest ; but when 
posterity comes to review it dispassionately, the improve- 
ment in equipment and mobility of our Field Artillery will 
most probably be considered the prominent feature of the 
time. And these are the very qualities which for cen- 
turies remained in England unimproved and stagnant. The 
eighteenth century saw Artillery conducted by drivers, not 
under military discipline, nor marked by distinctive costume ; 
who not unfroquently fled with their horses during the 
action, leaving the gunners helpless, and the guns at the 
mercy of the enemy. In this year, 1872, our drivers go into 
action unarmed, it being considered that the possession of 
defensive weapons might distract their attention from their 
horses. But we do not commit the old error of using men 
not under martial law. A driver who, on an emergency, 
finds himself with his whip merely to defend him, may 
possibly feel aggrieved : but however far he may run away, 
he cannot escape the embrace of the Mutiny Act, and is as 
liable to punishment as the man who deserts before the 
enemy, after his country has sent him into the field armed 
from head to foot. 

In the very earliest days of Artillery in England, the 
number of gunners borne on permanent pay on the books 
of the Ordnance bore a very small proportion to the arti- 
ficers so borne. With the increasing use of cannon, an 
increase in the number of artillerymen took place, but by 
no means pari passu : and, as towns in England became 
gradually fortified, a small number of gunners in each was 
found to be necessary to protect and take care of the stores, 
and to fire the guns on high days and holidays. In 1344, 
although no fewer than 321 artificers and engineers were 
borne on the books of the Ordnance in time of peace, only 
twelve gunners and seven armourers appear. In 1415, at 
the Siege of Harfleur, there were present 120 miners, 130 
carpenters, and 120 masons; but only 25 master, and 50 



Chap. II. The Gunner s duties and pay, 39 

servitonr gnnners — the latter corresponding probably to the 
matrosses of a later date. At the Siege of Tongue, in 1417, 
no less than 1000 masons, carpenters, and labourers were 
present, but only a small number of gunners. At this 
time, the driving of the guns, the placing them in position, 
and shipping and unshipping them, devolved on the civil 
labourers of the trains, and there was a military guard to 
escort the guns on the march. The gunner's duty seems to 
have been a general supervision of gun and stores, and the 
laying and firing it when in action. He was the captain of 
the gun in war — its custodian in peace. After the fifteenth 
century there was a marked increase in the number of artil- 
lerymen in the trains, although still totally inadequate. For 
example, in the train ordered on service in France, in 1544, 
where the civil element was represented by 157 artificers, 
100 pioneers, and 20 carters, there were no less than 
2 master-gunners, 264 gunners, and a special detachment 
of 15 gunners, for the guns placed immediately round the 
King's tent. The principal officers of the Ordnance also 
accompanied the expedition. 

There was a distinction between the gunners of garrisons 
and those of the trains, as regarded the source of their pay, 
or rather its channel. At first, both were paid from the 
Exchequer; but after the proper establishment of an 
Ordnance Department at the Tower, the gunners of the 
various trains were paid by it, the others receiving their 
salaries as before. The company of fee'd gunners at the 
Tower of London differed from the gunners of other garri- 
sons in receiving their pay from the Ordnance directly. It 
must not be imagined, however, that the gunners of garri- 
sons were beyond the control of the Board of Ordnance 
because their pay was not drawn on the Ordnance books. 
Not merely had the Master of the Ordnance the nomination 
of the gunners of garrisons, but the power also of weeding 
out the useless and superannuated. The instance given in 
the Introductory Chapter of this volume, shows how directly 
they were under the Board in matters of discipline ; and 
although, as a matter of Treasury detail, their pay was 



I 



40 Infancy of Artillery in England. Chap. II. 

drawn in a different department, a word from the Ordnance 
Office could stop its issue to any gunner in any garrison who 
was deemed by the Board to have forfeited his right to it in 
any way. It was not until 1771, long after the formation of 
the Koyal Artillery, that these garrison gunners were incor- 
porated into the invalid companies of the regiment ; and at 
the present date they ar6 represented by what is called the 
Coast Brigade of Artillery. The pay of the old gunners 
of garrisons depended on the fort in which they resided. 
Berwick, for example, as an important station, was also one 
in which the gunner's pay was higher. In the reign of 
Edward VI. we find the average pay of a master-gunner 
was Is. a-day, and of the gunners, from 4d. to Is. Later, 
the pay of the master-gunner was raised to 2s. a-day, and 
that of the gunners rarely fell below Is. In time of war, 
the pay of the gunners of the trains far exceeded the above 
rates. The senior master-gunner was styled the Master- 
Gunner of England. From 2s. a-day, which was the pay 
of this official in the sixteenth century, it rose to 160/. 
per annum, and ultimately to X90/. His residence and 
duties lay originally in the Tower, and chiefly among the 
fee'd gunners at that station ; but after Woolwich had at- 
tained its speciality for Artillery details, quarters were allotted 
to him there in the Manor House. Among the oldest 
Master-Gunners of England whose names are recorded may 
be enumerated Christopher Gould, Kichard Webb, Anthony 
Feurutter* or Fourutter,^ Stephen Bull, William Bull, 
William Hammond, John Keynold, and John Wornn — all of 
whom held their appointments in the sixteenth century, 
and the majority of them by letters patent from Elizabeth. 
From the fact that in the wording of their appointments 
. two of the above are particularized as soldiers by profession, 
it would appear that the others were not so ; and it is more 
probable that they were chosen for their knowledge of labora- 
tory duties, and of the " making of pleasaunt and warlike 
** fireworks." 

* Fcuruttor, according to Colonel Miller. 
' Fouruttcr, according to Colonel Clcaveland. 



Chap. II. Feed Gunners. 41 



The company of fee'd gnnners at the Tower, which might 
be supposed to haye had some military organization, really 
appears to haye had little or none. Their number in 
Edward VI.'s reign was 58, with a master-gunner ; but 
gradually it was increased to 100, which for many years 
was the normal establishment. They were supposed to 
parade twice a week, and learn the science of gunnery, under 
the Master-Gunner of England ; but their attendance was so 
irregular, and their ignorance of their profession so deplor- 
able, that a strong measure had to be adopted, to which 
allusion will be made in a later chapter. Colonel Miller, in 
his researches among the warrants appointing the gunners, 
found some yenerable recruits — who can hardly have been of 
much value in the field — of ages varying from sixty-four to 
ninety-two. There is no doubt that these appointments 
were frequently sold, or given in return for personal or 
political services, without any regard to the capability of 
the recipient. The clerks at the Ordnance Office had their 
fees for preparing these men's warrants, whose wording of 
the duties expected of the nominee must have frequently read 
like a grotesque satire. The situations were desirable because 
they did not interfere with the holders continuing to work 
at their trades near the Tower; and if the gunners were 
ordered to Woolwich for the purpose of mounting guns, or 
shipping and unshipping stores, they received working pay in 
addition to their regular salaries. It was from their ranks 
that the vacancies among master-gunners and gunners of 
garrisons were almost invariably filled. 

When a warlike expedition had been decided upon, the 
Master of the Ordnance was informed what size of a train 
of Artillery was required ; but he was permitted to increase 
or decrease its internal proportions as he thought fit. To 
him also was left the appointment of all the officers and 
attendants of the train; and, with the exception of any 
belonging to the small permanent establishment, it was 
understood that the services of any so appointed were only 
required while the expedition lasted. This spasmodic 
method of organizing the Artillery forces of this country was 



42 Infancy of Artillery in England. Chap. 1 1. 

sufficient to account for the want of progress in the science 
of gunnery, and the equipments of our trains, which is 
apparent until we reach the commencement of the eighteenth 
century. But it took centuries of stagnation, and of bitter 
and shameful experience, to teach the lesson that Artillery 
is a science which requires incessant study, that such study 
cannot be expected unless from men who can regard their 
profession as a permanent one, and the study as a means to 
an end ; and that, even admitting the possibility of such 
study being carried on by men in the hope of occasional 
employment, it would be too theoretical, unless means of 
practice and testing were afforded, beyond the power of a 
private individual to obtain. Nor could habits of discipline 
be generated by occasional military expeditions, which, to an 
untrained man, are more likely to bring demoralization ; it is 
during peace-service that the discipline is learnt which is to 
steady a man in the excitement and hardships of war. 

As samples of the trains of Artillery before the Bestora- 
tion, the following, of various dates, may be taken : and an 
examination of the constituent parts will well repay the 
reader. 

The first is a train in the year 1544, already alluded to, 
and which was commanded by the Master of the Ordnance 
himself. Sir Thomas Seymour. 

1. Train of Artillery ordered on Service in 1544. 



Sir Thomas Seymour, Master of the Ordnaiicc .. 

„ „ Conduct money at 4(7. a mile. 

„ „ Coat money for 20 servants at 4c/. e.ich. 

A horse-tent. 

Sir Thomas Darcic, Master of the Armoury 

Sir Christopher Morris, Lieutenant cf the Ordnance 

A clerk for him, Robert Morgan •• 

6 servants, each 

Bumardyne de Vallowayes / ,, . r« i 

T h RnARAtfc \ Master-Gunners, each 

209 Gunners, each .. 
157 Artificers, each 



Pay iKT diem. 
£ $. d. 

16b 


1 
10 
2 






6 


4 









7 

8 



Chap. II. Artillery on Service — tJieir pay. 



43 



Chief condactor of the train 

A clerk to him 

John Vemey, overseer of the King's great mares for the train 

of Artillery 

William Hey wood, assistant to him 

Thomas Mulberry } ., -.^, ., , 

TT TT , \ guides of the said mares, each 

6 conductors of the Ordnance 

20 Carters, each 

William Rayheme, Captain of the Pioneers 

100 Pioneers, each . . 



P»y per diem. 


£ 


«. 


d. 


.. 


G 







. 


2 





n 

• 


. 


4 





4 


.. 


1 






10 

• • 

6 
4 
8 



John Rogers, of the privy ordnance and weapons. 

15 Gunners appointed to the brass pieces about the King's tent. 

55 Gunners appointed to the shryinpes, with two cases each. 

4 carpenters. 

4 wheelers. 

3 armourers. 

Charles Walman, an officer employed to choose the gunpowder. 

N,B. — ^llae pioneers received 2«. a piece transport money from Boulogne 
to Dover, and conduct money from Dover to their dwelling-places — ^d. a 
mile for the captain, and \d, for every pioneer. 

Ilarh MS. 5753. 



2. Estahliahment of a Small Train of Artillery in 1 548. 



1 Master of Artillery. 
1 Lieutenant of ditto. 
1 Master-Gunner. 
15 Gunners at Is. per diem. 



12 Gunners at Sd. per diem. 
80 „ „ 6d. 



>» 



»> 



»> 



tt 



4(/. 



i» 



ft 



3. Estahlishment of a Train of Artillery in the year 1618. 



1 General of Artillery. 
1 Lieutenant of ditto. 
10 Gentlemen of ditto. 
25 Conductors of ditto. 

1 Master-Gunner. 
136 Gunners. 



1 Petardier. 
1 Captain of miners. 
25 Miners. 
1 Captain of pioneers. 
1 Surgeon. 
1 Surgcon's-matc. 



44 Infancy of Artillery in England. Chap. ii. 

4. Establishment of a Train of 22 pieces of Ordnance in the 

year 1620. 

1- Master of the Ordnance. | 3 Master-Gunner's Mates. 

I Lieutenant of ditto. | 3 Constables or Quarter- 

9 Gentlemen of ditto. | gunners. 

1 Master-Gunner. 124 Gunners. 



6. Esiahlishment of a Train of 30 pieces in the year 1639. 
1 Master of the Ordnance. i 1 Master-Gunner. 



1 Lieutenant of ditto. 

1 Comptroller. 

4 Gentlemen of the Ordnance. 



30 Gunners. 
40 Matrosses. 



It will be seen that in Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5, the Artil- 
lery element is alone giyen. Nor are the proportions of 
the trains, and their constituent parts, snch as to enable us 
to draw any fixed law from them. They are merely interest- 
ing — not very instructive. Table 1, on the other hand, is 
both interesting and instructive. The appearance of medical 
officers in the train of 1618, and of matrosses — a species 
of assistant-gunner — in that of 1639, will not have escaped 
the reader's notice. 

In the next chapter we shall find that the presence of a 
man like Lord Dartmouth, and his predecessor, Sir William 
Compton, at the Ordnance, reveals itself in the greater 
method visible in the Artillery arrangements ; and with the 
introduction of Continental artillerists, under William IH., 
comes a greater experience of the value of Artillery, which 
nearly brought about, in 1608, that permanent establish- 
ment which was delayed by circumstances until 1716. 



( 45 ) 



CHAPTER III. 

The Eestobation, and Ebvolution op 1688. 

T^HE first step, of course, on the restoration of Charles II., 
^ was to undo everything in the Ordnance, and remove 
every official bearing the mark of the Protectorate. Having 
filled the vacant places with his own nominees, he seemed to 
consider his duty done, and, with one exception, the official 
history of the Ordnance for the next few years was a blank. 
The exception was the Company of Gunners at the Tower, 
which from 52, in 1661, rose to 90 in the following year, 98 
in 1664, and then the old normal number 100. 

But the work in the Department done by the Master- 
General, Sir William Compton, although not of a demon- 
strative character, was good and useful, and prepared the 
way for the reformations introduced by his more able suc- 
cessor, Lord Dartmouth. The Master-Gunners of England 
were now chosen from a higher social grade than before. In 
1660 Colonel James Weymes held the appointment, followed 
in 1666 by Captain Valentine Pyne, and in 1677 by Captain 
Bichard Leake. A new appointment was created for Captain 
Martin Beckman — that of Chief Firemaster. His skill in his 
department was rewarded by knighthood, and he held the 
appointment, not merely until the Eevolution of 1688, but 
also under William HI., having apparently overcome any 
scruples as to deserting his former masters. A Surveyor- 
General of the Ordnance, Jonas Moore by name, was ap- 
pointed in 1669, who afterwards received permission to 
travel on the Continent to perfect himself in Artillery 
studies, for which purpose he received the sum of 100?. a 
year. 

The names of the Ordnance in the various fortifications in 
England during the reign of Charles H. were as follows : — 



46 Restoration^ and Revoltition of 1 688. Chap. III. 



Brass Obdnanoe. 

Cannon of 8. Cannon of 7. Demi-cannon. 24 pre. Culverings* 

12 pre. I)emi-culvering8. 8 pre. 6 pre. 

Sakers. Mynions. 3 pre. Falcon. Falconet t. 

Brass baccs of 7 bores. Inch and \ bore, and 7 otlier sizes. 

Iron Ordnance. 

Cannon of 7. Demi-cannon. 24 pre. Culverings. • 12 prs. 

Demi-culverings. 8 pre. 6 prs. Sakere. Myniona. 

3 pre. Falcon. Falconett. Rabonett. 

Brass Mortar Pieces. 



18i in.* 


16 J in. 13iin. 9 in. 8! in. Sin. 


7! in. 


7i in. 6i in. 6i in. 4J in. 4i in. 




Iron Mortar Pieces. 




12^ in. 4i in. 




Taken from Earl, MS. 4244. 



The reader will observe the immense varieties of mortars, 
and the large calibres, compared with those of the present 
day. They were much used on board the bomb-vessels ; but 
it is difficult to see the advantage of so many small mortars, 
varying so slightly in calibre. 

From an account of some new ordnance made in 1671, we 
find that iron cannon of 7 were 10 feet long, and weighed 
on an average 63 cwt., or 9J feet long, and weighing from 
54 cwt. to 60 cwts. Iron culverings of 10 feet in length 
averaged 43 cwt. in weight, and demi-culverings of the same 
length averaged in weight about 35 cwt. Iron falconetts 
are mentioned 4 feet in length, and weighing from 300 to 
312 lbs. 

The King, having occasion to send a present to the 
Emperor of Morocco, not an unfrequent occurrence, selected 
on one occasion four iron demi-culverings, and three brass 



* The brass 18i-in. mortare were used at the Siege of Limerick in 1689, 
and in the porch of the cathedral in that city one of the shells is still to be 
seen. An interesting account of Artillery details at that siege is to be 
found in Story's ' History of the Ware in Ireland.' 



Chap, III. Woolwich as an Artillery DepSl. 47 

demi-cannon of 8 J feet long, with one brass culvering of 11 J 
feet. A more frequent present to that monarch was gun- 
powder, or a quantity of muskets. 

The salutes in the Tower were fired from culyerings and 
8-pounders, and were in a very special manner under the 
command of the Master-General himself. As little liberty 
of thought was left to the subordinates at the Tower as 
possible. Warnings of preparation were forwarded often 
days before, followed at intervals by reminders that the 
salute was not to be fired until a positive order should reach 
the Tower from the Master-General. 

The letter-books at the Tower teem with correspondence 
and orders on this subject, and the Master-General seemed 
to write as many letters to his loving friends at the Tower 
about a birthday salute, about which no mistake could well 
occur, as he did about a salute of another kind, albeit a 
birthday one, when on the 10th June, 1688, "it pleased 
Almighty God, about ten o'clock of the morning, to bless 
his Majesty and his Boyal Consort, the Queen, with the 
birth of a hopefull son, and his Majesty's kingdom and 
dominions with a Prince : for which inestimable blessing " 
public rejoicing was invited. It was a false tale which the 
guns rang out from the Tower: — only a few months, and 
the hopefal babe was a fugitive with its ill-fated father, and 
remained an exile for his life. 

** He was indeed the most unfortunate of Princes, destined to 
^ seventy-^even years of exile and wandering, of vain projects, 
*' of honours more galling than insults, and hopes such as make 
<< the heart sick." ^ 

At this time, Woolwich was gradually increasing in im- 
portance as an Artillery Dep6t, and in 1672 the beginning 
of the Laboratory was laid, 70 feet long, " for receiving fire- 
" works." 

In 1682 Lord Dartmouth was appointed Master-General, 
and from this date until the Bevolution the student of the 
Ordnance MSS. recognizes the existence of a master-spirit, 

* Macaiilay. 



t€ 

St 
4t 



48 Restoration J and Revolution ^1688. Chap. IIU 



and a clear-headed man of business. In 1683 he obtained 
authority from the King to reorganize the whole depart- 
ment, and define the duties of eyery official — a task which he 
performed so well that his work remained as the standard 
rule for the Board until it ceased to exist. His physical 
activity was as great as his mental : not a garrison in the 
kingdom was safe from his personal inspection ; and the 
results of his examination were so eminently unsatisfactory 
as to call forth orders which, while calculated to prevent, 
had the effect also of revealing to posterity abuses of the 
grossest description. Not merely was neglect discovered 
among the storekeepers and gunners of the various garri- 
sons — not merely ignorance and incapacity— but it was 
ascertained to be not unusual for a Master-Gunner to omit 
reporting the death of his subordinates, while continuing 
however to draw their pay. Lord Dartmouth's measures 
comprised the weeding out of the incapable gunners; the 
issue of stern warnings to all ; the bringing the Storekeepers 
(who had hitherto held their appointments by letters patent 
from the Exchequer) under the immediate jurisdiction of 
the Board of Ordnance ; the increase of the more educated 
element among the few Artilleryman on the permanent 
establishment, by the appointment of Gentlemen of the 
Ordnance, " lest the ready effects of our Artillery in any 
" respect may perhaps be wanting when occasion shall be 
" offered ;" the appointment of Engineers to superintend the 
fortifications, with salaries of lOOZ. a year, under a Chief 
Engineer, Sir Bernard de Gomme; the encouragement of 
foreign travel and study; and the creation of discipline 
among the gunners at the Tower. Among the various causes 
of regret which affected Lord Dartmouth after the Eevolution, 
probably none were more felt than the sorrow that he had 
been unable to complete the reformation in the Ordnance 
which he had so thoroughly and ably commenced. 

As a specimen of a train of Lord Dartmouth's time may be 
taken the one ordered to march on 21st June, 1685, to join 
Lord Feversham's force at Chippenham, and to proceed 
against the rebels. It consisted of 



Chap. III. 



Daily cost of a Train. 



49 



at 5a. each 



Comptroller 

His clerk.. 
Commissary of the Anilloi y 

His two clerks .. 
Paymaster of the Train 

His dork 
Master of the Wag'^oiis 

Two assistants . . 
Commissary of the draii^^ht hoi.Hcs 

Two assistants .. 
Gentlemen of the Onlnaiicc, three 
Purveyor .. 
Provost-Mil rshal 

Two assistants 
Master-Gimner 

Two Mates at 'k 

32 Gunners at 2jt. 

32 Matrosses at Is. G'/. . . 

Conductors, six at 2«. G^/. 
Chinirgeon .. 

His Mate 
Tent-keeper 

His assistant 
Master-Smith 

Two Smiths 
One Farrier.. 
Master-Carpenter . . 

Four Carpenters at 2i?. each 
Mas ter- Wheel wrigli t 

Two Wheelers .. 
Master Collar-Maker 

One Collar-maker 
Mastcr-Coojcr 

Gunsmith 
Captain of the Pionei^rs 

One Sergeant 

One CoriJoral 

One Drummer .. 

20 Pioneers.. 

118 Drivers at 1». each .. 

Total per diem 

The gnns used were brasH Falcons and iron 3-pounders. 
On examining the comparative pay of tlio various ranks, 



Pay p<-r diom 
£ f. ii. 

15 
W 


10 
G 






8 

:*» 






10 
8 






8 





8 





15 
5 






G 





10 





5 





G 





2 8 






15 
\ 






2 


G 


4 





1 


G 


4 





4 





2 
3 


G 



8 





3 





4 





3 





2 





2 


G 


1 


G 


4 





2 





1 


G 


1 





1 





5 IS 





1:22 1» 






VOL. I. 



Y. 



5 o Restoration^ and Revolution of \(y%Z. Chap. III. 

the ProYOst-Marshal seems to be well paid, ranking as he 
does in that respect with the Surgeon, and the Captain of 
the Pioneers. But if we may judge of the discipline of his 
train from one incident which has suryiyed, his office can 
have been no sinecure. We find on the 23rd December, 
1085, the King and Privy Council assembled at Whitehall, 
discussing gravely some conduct of certain members of the 
train, which had formed matter of complaint and petition 
from his Majesty's lieges. Four unhappy farmers had had 
a yoke of oxen pressed from each — the day after the rebels 
had been defeated — to bring off the carriages of the King's 
train of Artillery (then immovable, as might have been 
expected), and the animals had been made to travel as/ar as 
Devizes, forty miles from their home. One of the farmers, 
William Pope by name, had accompanied the train, in order 
that he might bring the oxen back. On applying for them 
at the end of the journey, the conductor " did abuse William 
" Pope, one of the petitioners, by threatening to hang him 
" for a rebel, as in the petition is more at large set forth." 
So the farmers now prayed to have their oxen, with the 
yokes and furniture, or their value, restored to them. 

As the King in Council was graciously pleased to refer the 
complaint to Lord Dartmouth, with a view to justice being 
done, the reader need not doubt that the petitioners went 
away satisfied. 

The details, contained in the Ordnance books, of the camp 
ordered by the King in 1686 to be formed at Hounslow, give 
the first intimation of that distribution of the Artillery of an 
Army, known as Battalion guns, a system which lasted in 
principle until 1871, although the guns ceased to be subdi- 
vided in such small divisions a good many years before. As, 
however, until 1871, the batteries had to accommodate them- 
selves to the movements of the battalions near them, it may 
be said with truth that until then they were really Battalion 
guns. James II. ordered fourteen regiments to encamp at 
Hounslow with a view to overawing the disaffected part of 
the populace ; but the effect was to reveal instead the unmis- 
takable sympathy which existed between the troops and the 



Chap. III. RicJiard Burton scfit to Hungary. 51 

people ; so the camp was abruptly broken up. The Battalion 
guns were brass 3-pounders, under Gentlemen of the Ord- 
nance, with a few other /ittendants, and escorted to their 
places hy the Grenadiers of the various Regiments. Two demi- 
culyerins of 10 feet in length, and six small mortar pieces, 
were also sent from the Tower to the camp. 

In 1687, uneasiness was felt about Ireland, and large 
quantities of stores were assembled at Chester, for ready 
transit to that country if required. A large issue of mortars 
for that seryice was also made, the calibres being 14;^, 10, and 
7 inches, and the diameters of the shells being respectively a 
quarter of an inch less. Among other guns which occur by 
name in the Ordnance lists of this year, and which have not yet 
been mentioned, are culverin drakes of 8 feet in length ; saker- 
drakes of the same ; and saker square guns also 8 feet long. 

In the spring of 1688, his fatal year. King James was 
advised by Lord Dartmouth to send a young Gentleman of 
the Ordnance to Hungary to the Emperor's camp to improve 
himself in the art military, "to observe and take notice 
" of their method of marching, encamping, embattling, ex- 
" ercising, ordering their trains of Artillery, their manner 
" of approaching, besieging, or attacking any town, their 
" mines. Batteries, lines of circumvallation and contravalla- 
" tion, their way of fortification, their foundries, instruments 
" of war, engines, and what else may occur observable ;" 
" and for his encouragement herein he was allowed the salary 
" of 1?. per diem, besides such advance as was considered 
" reasonable." 

A long and difficult lesson was this which Richard Burton 
had to learn, and ere it should be mastered the Sovereign 
who encouraged him should be gone from Whitehall. 
■ It waH on the 15th October, 1688, that undoubted advice 
reached the King that " a great and sudden invasion, with 
" an armed force of foreigners, was about to be made, in a 
" hostile manner, upon his kingdom ;" and although it is 
not contemplated to describe the campaigns of the pre- 
regimental days, a description of the train of Artillery with 
which he proposed to meet the invasion, and which was ^re- 



i 



52 Restoration^ atid Revolution of 1688. Chap. III. 

pared for the purpose, cannot fail to be interesting. It is 
the most largely officered train which we have as yet met ; 
and it was announced that, should the King accompany it 
at any time himself, it should be further increased by the 
presence of the Lieutenant -General of the Ordnance, the 
Comptroller-General, the Principal Engineer, the Master- 
Gunner of England and his Clerks, the Chief Fire-master 
and his Mate, the Keepers and Makers of the Boyal Tents 
and their Assistants. Exclusive of these, whose presence 
was conditional, the following was the personnel of 

James II' s Artillery Train to Resist the Invasion of 1688. 

The reader will observe that in this train the Master- 
General is not included, even in the contingency of the 
King's accompanying it himself. Lord Dartmouth had 
another duty to perform. He had been appointed Admiral 
of the Fleet which was to engage, if possible, the immense 
number of vessels which accompanied William to England. 
The vnnds fought against Dartmouth. First, he was kept 
at the mouth of the Thames by the same east winds that 
wafted the enemy to their landing-place at Torbay; and 
when, at last, able with a fair wind to follow down the 
Channel in pursuit, just as he reached Portsmouth, the wind 
changed : he had to run into that harbour, and his oppor- 
tunity was lost— an opportunity, too, which might have 
reversed the whole story of the Eevolution, for there was 
more loyalty to the King in the navy than in the army, — a 
loyalty which was whetted, as Macaulay well points out, by 
old grudges between the English and Dutch seamen ; and 
there was in James's Admiral an ability and an integrity 
which cannot be doubted. Had the engagement taken place, 
and the King's fleet been successful, it does not require much 
experience of the world's history to say that the Eevolution 
would have been postponed for years, if not for ever, for it is 
marvellous how loyal waverers become to the side which has 
the first success. Nor is this the first or only case on which 
a kingdom, or something equally valuable, has hung upon a 



Chap, iil Artillery Train of James IL 



53 



change of wind. How history would have to be re-written 
had James Watt but lived two centuries earlier than he did ! 
The Lieutenaat-General who was to command the train 
was Sir Henry Shore, who had been appointed an Assistant 
and Deputy at the Board to Sir Henry Tichborne. The 
latter was, doubtless, the Lieutenant-General, whose pre- 
sence would also have been required had the King in person 
accompanied the train. 

A List of thb pbopeb Pbbsons, Ministers, and Attendants, 
OF the Tbaynb op Artilleby, viz. — 

Pajr per diem. 



Conditional < 



V • ' 



Licutenant-GeDerall 

His Secretary .. 

A clerke under bim 
Comptroller G eneral I 

His two clerks at 4«. each , 
Comptroller to the Tray ne 

His clerke 
Adjutant to the Trayne 
Commissary of Ammunition for the Trayne and 

^a1 uj y •• •• •• •• •• 99 

His two clerkes at Ss. each 
Paymaster .. 

His clerke 
Comptroller of the B. Trayne 

His clerke 
engineer .. 

His clerke 
Waggon-master 

His assistant 
Commissary of the draught horses 

His assistant 
Gentlemen of the Ordnance, four at 5s. each 
Quartermaster 
Surveyor 
Provost Marshall 

His two assistants at 28. Ge/. each 
Firemaster to the Trayne 

Xxi s ma ve .. *• •• .. 

Four assistants at 38. each 
Chief Bombardier .. 

12 Bombardiers at 2s. each 
Chief Petard ier 

Four Putardiurb at 2«. each 



£ «. 

3 
6 
4 
2 
8 
15 
4 
10 

10 
6 
8 
4 
10 
2 
10 
4 
10 
4 





1 









8 
4 

5 
5 
G 
6 
6 
4 



12 

3 

1 4 
3 

8 







































54 Restoration^ and Revolution of 1688. Chap. III. 



Master Gunner of the Trayne 

His two mates at 3«. each 
Gunncra, 30 at 2». each 
Matrosses, 40 at 1». G(2. each 
Odo Battery Master 

His two assistants at 4«. each . . 
One Bridge Master . . 

His six attendants at 3d. 6<^, each 
A Tinman .. .. .. 

Chief Conductor 

Conductors to the Trayne and Army, 10 at 2«. 6:/. 
encn •* •• •• •• •* •• 

Chyrurgeon 

xxio uiaic •• •• •. •• .* •• 

HisMajestv^s Tent keepers and makers) Condi- j 

Their two assistants at 3s. each ) tional. ( 

A Tent keeper and maker.. 

His assistants .. 
A Messenger to attend y* Principall officers of y* 

Trayne 
Ladle maker 
Master Smith 
Master Farryer 

His four servants at 2s. each 
Master Carpenter ,. 

His three servants at 3s. each .. 
Master Wheelwright 

His four servants at 2s. 6<i. each 
Master Collar-maker 

Two servants at 2s. each 
Master Cooper 

One servant 
A Gunsmith 

His servant 

Captain of the Pyoneers .. 

Sixty Pyoneers at Is. each 

Two Sergeants at 2s. each 

Two Corporalls at Is. 6<f. each 

Two Drummers at Is. 6rf. each 

Two servants to y* Master Smith 

(Signed) 



Pay 
£ 



3 
3 



1 



1 












.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 
.. 


.. 

.. 

.. 

.. 

Dartmouth. 



per dicB. 

«. (f. 

5 

6 



10 

8 

8 



1 
3 
5 



4 
4 
4 
4 



9 
4 



4 
4 
2 
4 
2 
5 

4 
3 
3 
4 




6 




5 
4 
2 6 



4 
2 8 










8 
4 








10 
4 





6 











The reader will observe that the position of the medical 
oflScers of a train was still a very degraded one, relatively 
speaking, in point of pay. The surgeon ranked with the 



Chap. III. Tfie Duke de Schofuberg. 55 

ladle-maker, the chief artificers, and the messenger; while 
his assistant received the same remnneration for his services 
as did the servants of the master wheelwright and master 
cooper. The presence, in this train, of an Adjutant and a 
Battery Master, is worthy of note, and also the intimation that 
then, as now, on service, the Artillery had to take their share 
in the transport of the small-arm ammunition of the Army. 

History moved rapidly now. After James's flight and a 
brief interregnum, the Ordnance Office moves on again with 
spirit under the new Master-General, the Duke de Schom- 
berg. Judging from the vigorous conduct displayed by him 
during his brief career at the Board, one cannot but regret 
that it was so soon cut short. One little anecdote reveals 
the energy of the man's character, and enlists the sympathy 
of that part 'of posterity — and the name is Legion ! — which 
has suffered from red tape and routine. There was naturally 
a strong feeling in Scotland against the new King. Presby- 
terianism itself could not dull the beating of the national 
heart, which was moved by the memories of the old lino of 
Monarchs which had been given to England, whose gracious 
ways almost condoned their offences, and whose offences were 
easily forgotten in this their hour of tribulation. 

Men, guns, ammunition, and transport were all required 
for Edinburgh and Berwick ; but between the demand and 
the supply stood that national buffer which seems to be 
England's old ;nan of the sea — a public department. For 
transport the Master-General had to consult the Admiralty, 
who, being consulted, began to coil the red tape round the 
Master's neck, and nothing more. He entreats, implores, 
and prays for even one ship to carry special engineers and 
messages to the Forth ; but the Admiralty quietly pigeon- 
holes his prayers in a style worthy of two centuries later. 
The Duke will have none of it : he writes to the Board to 
give up this useless correspondence with a wooden-headed 
Department ; to take his own private yacht, and carry out 
the King's service, without delay. Would that, to every 
wearied postulant, there were a private yacht to waft him 
out of the stagnant pool which officialism considers the 



56 Restoration^ and Revolutiofi ^1688. Chap. ill. 

perfection of Departmental Management, and in which he 
might drift away from the very memory of pigeon-holes and 
precedents ! 

As might be expected, volumes of warrants, at this time, 
reveal the changes made among the officials of the Ord- 
nance. The preparing of a warrant implied a fee ; it is not 
to be wondered at, therefore, that they were many. No office 
under the Ordnance was too low to escape the necessity of a 
warrant. There were chimney-sweeps to the Ordnance who 
have been made immortal by this necessity, paviours, drug- 
gists, messengers, and labourers. All must be made public 
characters, because all must pay. Sex is no protection. 
Candidates for Ordnance appointments who belong to the 
fair sex cannot plead shyness and modesty in bar of their 
warrants. So that Mary Pickering, who was reappointed 
cooper at the Fort of Upnor, near Chatham, and Mary Bray- 
brooke, appointed iurmr at the same time, have come down 
to posterity for the fee of ten shillings, when fairer and 
nobler maidens have been forgotten. 

There are many Dutch, German, and even French names 
among the new officials appointed for the Board's service. 
But reappointments are, by no means, rare, if the old incum- 
bents would but change their allegiance. Among the changes 
introduced by the Duke de Schomberg was one by which not 
merely were there gentlemen of the Ordnance for the Tower 
and the various trains, but also " for the out parts :" and if 
there were no heavier duties for them to perform than those 
specified in their warrants, they must have had a very easy 
time of it, and earned their forty pounds a year without 
much labour. According to their warrants, their duty was 
to see that " all y® aprons, beds, and coynes belonging to 
" their Majesties' Traynes of Artillery at y® outposts do 
" remain upon the guns and carriages." If this were really 
all they had to do, the old gunners of garrisons might have 
done it quite as well for half the money. 

The difficulty of getting arms for the troops which were 
being raised for service in Ireland alarmed the Board greatly. 
Very strong measures had to be taken : penalties were 



Chap. 1 1 1. Difficulties of the Board. 5 7 

threatened on every one who kept arms concealed, or failed 
to bring them to the Board; and a honse-to-house search 
was anthorized. Gunsmiths were forbidden to sell to private 
individuals, and commanded to devote all their energies to 
manufacturing arms for the Board, and yet the need was 
sore. Horses, also, had to be bought, and could with diffi- 
culty be obtained ; and such as were procured could not bear 
the test of examination. So bad were they, that at last the 
Master-General inspected in person not merely the horses 
bought for the Artillery, but also the persons who bought 
them. At his first inspection he found them all faulty — 
rejecting some because they were too slight, some because 
they were lame, and one because it was an old coach-horse. 
With the difficulty of getting horses came also the difficulty 
of procuring forage. The contract for the horses of the 
Traynes for Chester and Ireland reached the unprecedented 
sum of fifteen pence per horse for each day. 

To add to the other troubles of the new Board, the Chief 
Firemaster and Engineer (Sir Martip Beckman), with all 
the keenness and zeal of a renegade, kept worrying it 
about the state of the various Forts and Barracks; whose 
defects, he assured the Board, he had repeatedly urged on 
the two preceding monarchs, but without avail, on account 
of the deficiency of funds. " Berwick," he begged to assure 
the Board, " is getting more defenceless every year, and will 
" take 31,000Z. to be spent at once to prevent the place from 
" being safely insulted." For six years past he assured the 
Board that Hull had been going to ruin: the earthworks 
had been abused by the garrison, who had suffered all sorts 
of animals to tread down the facings, and had, in the night- 
time, driven in cattle, and made the people pay money before 
they released them ; and when they turned the cattle and 
horses out, they drove them through the embrasures and 
portholes, and so destroyed the facings, that, without speedy 
repair and care, his Majesty would certainly be obliged to 
make new ones. 

The bomb-vessels also occupied the attention of the Board. 
More practical Artillerymen were required than could be 



58 Restoratioji^ and Revolution of 1688. Chap. hi. 

granted without greatly increasing the permanent establish- 
ment. So a compromise was made ; and a number of men 
were hired and appointed praditiotier bombardiers, at the 
same rate of pay as others of the same rank, viz. 25. per 
diem> but with the condition that the moment their serrices 
were no longer required they would be dispensed with. 

There were calls, also, from the West Indies on the sore- 
pressed Board. A train of brass Ordnance was sent there, 
to which were attached the following, among other officials : 
— A Firemaster, at 10«. a day; a Master-Gunner, at 5s.; 
Engineers, at various rates, but generally 10s., who were 
ordered to send home frequent reports and sketches ; Bom- 
bardiers, at 2a. 6d, ; and a proportion of Gunners and 
Matrosses, at 2s. and Is. Qd. per diem respectively, whose 
employment was guaranteed to them for six months at least. 

As if the Admiralty, the horsedealers, the West Indies, 
Scotland,. Ireland, and unseasonable zeal were not enough, 
there must come upon the scene of the Board's deliberations 
that irrepressible being, the " old soldier." The first Board 
of William and Mary was generous in its dealings with it& 
officials almost to a fault. This is a failing which soon 
reaches ears, however distant. Several miners absent in 
Scotland, hoping that in the confusion the vouchers had 
been mislaid, complained that they were in arrears of their 
pay, " whereby," said the scoundrels, " they were discouraged 
" from performing their duties on this expedition." Enquiries 
were made by the Board, and in the emphatic language of 
their minute, it was found '' that they lied, having been 
" fully paid up." 

When the time came for the Duke to shake ofif the imme- 
diate worries of the office, as he proceeded to Chester and to 
Ireland, his relief must have been great. With him he took 
the chief waggon-master to assist in the organization of the 
train in Ireland, leaving his deputy at the Tower to perform 
his duties. The suite of the Master-General on his ride to 
Chester included six sumpter mules with six sumpter men, 
clad in large grey coats* the sleeves faced with orange^ and 
" the coats to be paid for out of their pay." 



Chap. III. Uniform of the Traift. 59 

Only two more remarks remain to be made. The propor- 
tion of drivers to the horses of William's train of Artillery 
in Ireland may be gathered from an order still preserved 
directing a fresh lot of horses and men to be raised in the 
following proportions: one hundred and eighty horses; 
thirty-six carters, and thirty-six boys. 

Next, the dress of the train can be learned from the fol- 
lowing warrant, ordering :— 

'' That the gimners, matrosses, and tradesmen have coates 
" of blew, with Brass Buttons, and lyned with orange bass, 
" and hats with orange silk Gtiloome. The carters, grey 
" coates lyned with the same. That order be given for the 
'' making of these cloaths forthwith, and the money to be 
" deducted by equal proportions out of their paye by the 
" Treasurer of the Trayne. 

(Signed) " Sohombero." 

From a marginal note, we learn that the number of 
gunners and matrosses with the train was 147, and of carters, 
200 ; these being the numbers of suits of clothes respectively 
ordered. 

It was with this train to Ireland that we find the first 
notice of the kettle-drums and drummers ever taking the 
field.^ 



Miller. 



( 6o ) 



CHAPTER IV. 



Landmarks. 



TN the chaotic sea of warrants, correspondence, and orders 
■'- which represents the old MSS. of the Board of Ordnance 
prior to the formation of the Boyal Regiment of Artillery, 
there are two documents which stand out like landmarks, 
pointing to the gradual realization of the fact that a train 
of Artillery formed when wanted for service, and disbanded 
at the end of the campaign, was not the best way of making 
use of this arm ; and that the science of gunnery, and the 
technical details attending the movement of Artillery in the 
field, were not to be acquired intuitively, nor without careful 
study and practice during time of peace. 

The first relates to the company of a hundred fee'd 
gunners at the Tower of London, whose knowledge of artil- 
lery has already been described as most inadequate, and 
whose discipline was a sham. By a Boyal Warrant dated 
22nd August, 1682, this company was reduced to sixty in 
number by weeding out the most incapable ; the pay, which 
had up to this time averaged sixpence a day to each man, 
was increased to twelvepence; but in return for this aug- 
mentation, strict military discipline was to be enforced ; in 
addition to their ordinary duties at the Tower, they were to 
be constantly exercised once a week in winter, and twice a 
week in summer by the Master-Gunner of England ; they 
were to be dismissed if at any time found unfit for their 
duties; and a blow was struck at the custom of men holding 
these appointments, and also working at their trades near 
the Tower, by its being distinctly laid down that they were 
liable for duty not merely in that Fortress, but also " in 
** whatever other place or places our Master-General of the 
" Ordnance shall think fit." 



Chap. IV. Formation of a Pernianeiit Foi'ce. 6i 

This was the first landmark, proclaiming that a nucleus 
and a permanent one of a trained and disciplined Artillery 
force was a necessity. Money was not plentiful at the 
Ordnance Board under the Stuarts, as has already been 
stated ; so as time went on, and it was found necessary to 
increase the educated element, — the fireworkers, petardiers, 
and bombardiers, — it was done first by reducing the number 
of gunners, and, at last, in 1686, by a grudgingly small 
increase to the establishment. 

In 1697, after the Peace of Eyswick, there was in the 
English service a considerable number of comparatively 
trained artillerymen, whose services during the war entitled 
them to a little consideration. This fact, coupled with the 
gradual growth in the minds of the military and Ordnance 
authorities of the sense of the dangers that lay in the spas- 
modic system, and the desirability of having some proportion 
of artillerymen always ready and trained for service and 
emergency, brought about the first — albeit short-lived — per- 
manent establishment, in a regimental form, of artillery in 
England. The cost of the new regiment amounted to 
4482?. 10«. per annum, in addition to the pay which some of 
them drew as being part of the old Ordnance permanent 
establishment. But before a year had passed, the regiment 
was broken up, and a very small provision made for the 
officers. Some of the engineers, gentlemen of the Ordnance, 
bombardiers, and gunners were added to the Tower establish- 
ment, and seventeen years passed before this premature 
birth was succeeded by that of the Eoyal Begiment of 
Artillery. 

But this landmark is a remarkable one ; and in a history 
like the present deserves special notice. Some of the officers 
afterwards joined the Boyal Artillery ; most of them fought 
under Marlborough ; and all had served in William's con- 
tinental campaign either by sea or land. Two of the cap- 
tains of companies, Jonas Watson and William Bousfield, 
had served in the train in Flanders in 1694, and Albert 
Borgard, its adjutant, was afterwards the first Colonel of 
the Royal Artillery. 



62 Landmarks. Chap. IV. 



The staflf of the little regiment consisted of a Clolonel, 
Jacob Richards, a Lieutenant-Colonel, George Browne, a 
Major, John Sigismund Schmidt, an Adjutant, Albert Bor- 
gard, and a Comptroller : of these the first four had been 
serving on active service in Flanders. There were four 
companies, very weak, certainly, and containing men paid 
both on the old and new establishments. Each contained 
1 captain, 1 first-lieutenant, 1 second-lieutenant, 2 gentlemen 
of the Ordnance, 2 sergeants, and 30 gunners. Of these 
the gentlemen of the Ordnance and 15 gunners per company 
were on the old Tower establishment. The names of the 
captains not mentioned above were Edward Gibbon, and 
Edmund Williamson. 

There were also in the Eegiment six engineers, four sub- 
engineers, two firemasters, twelve fireworkers, and twelve 
bombardiers. 

When the regiment was reduced, the captains received 
60Z. per annum, the first and second lieutenants 50/. and 
40Z. per annum, the firemasters 60Z., and the fireworkers 40/. 
These officers were described as belonging to the new esta- 
blishment, in contradistinction to the old. 

The time had now come when there was to be an establish- 
ment of Artillery in addition to these, whose school and 
arena were the campaigns of a great master of war, one who 
was to be the means, after a victorious career, of placing the 
stamp of permanence on what had as yet had but an ephe- 
meral existence, — the regimental character as applied to 
Artillery forces in England. 



( ^i ) 



CHAPTER Y. 

Maelborough's Trains. 

4 LTHOUGH the description of campaigns which occurred 
^ before the regimental birth of the Koyal Artillery is 
beyond the purpose and province of this history, yet so many 
of the officers and men who fought under the great Duke of 
Marlborough, or served in the various trains equipped by his 
orders for Gibraltar, Minorca, and Nova Scotia, afterwards 
were embodied in the regiment, that the reader must greet 
with pleasure any notice of the constitution of these Trains, 
as being in all probability typical of what the early com- 
panies of the Begiment would be when attached to Ordnance 
for service in the field. 

The Duke of Marlborough was appointed Master-General 
of the Ordnance almost immediately after the accession of 
Queen Anne, and until the day of his death he evinced the 
warmest and most ilitelligent interest in everything con^ 
nected with the Artillery Service. 

The reader will remember that one of the first acts of 
Queen Anne was to declare war against France, with her 
allies the Emperor of Germany and the States-General. 
The declaration of war was not formally made until the 
4th May, 1702, but preparations had been going on for a 
couple of months before with a view to commencing hostili- 
ties. On the 14th March, 1702, the warrant for the Train 
of Artillery required for the opening campaign was issued to 
the Earl of Eomney, then Master^General. .The number of 
pieces of Ordnance required was fixed at 34, including 14 
sakers, 16 3-pounders, and 4 howitzers : and the personnel 
considered adequate to the management of these guns con- 
sisted of two companies of gunners, one of pioneers, and one 
of pontoon men, in addition to the requisite staff, and a 



64 Marliorougks Trains. Chap. V. 

nnmber of artificers. Each company consisted of a captain, 
a lieutenant, a gentleman of the Ordnance, six non-commis- 
sioned officers, twentT-fiTe gonners, and an equal nnmber of 
matroeses. At this time the fireworkers and bombardiers 
were not on the strength of the companies as was afterwards 
the case. Two fireworkers and eight bombardiers accompanied 
this train. 

The pioneers were twenty in nnmber, with two sergeants, 
and there was the same nnmber of pontoon men, with two 
corporals, the whole being nnder a Bridge-master. The staff 
of the train consisted of a colonel, a lientenant-colonel, a 
major, a comptroller, a paymaster with his assistant, an ad- 
jutant, a quartermaster, a chaplain, a commissary of horse, a 
surgeon and assistant-surgeon, and a provost-marshal. The 
kettle-drummer and his coachman accompanied the train. 
There were also present with this train a commissary of 
stores with an assistant, two clerks, twelve conductors, eight 
carpenters, four wheelwrights, three smiths, and two tinmen. 

The rates of pay of the various attendants are again worthy 
of note. The master carpenter, smith, and wheelwright got 
a shilling daily more than the assistant-surgeon, who had to 
be happy on Zs. per diem; the provost-marshal and the 
tinman each got 2.^. 6(/. ; the clerks and the gentlemen of 
the Ordnance were equally paid 4s. ; the chaplain, adjutant, 
and quartermaster received 6». each ; a lieutenant received 
the same, and a fireworker 2s, less. The pay of the higher 
ranks was as follows : — Colonel, 1/. 5a. ; lieutenant-colonel 
and comptroller, each IZ. ; major, 15s. ; and paymaster, 10s. 
The gunners received Is. Qd, ; matrosses, pioneers, and pon- 
toon-men, each. Is. 

It was the month of June, 1702, before this train landed 
in Holland, and on the 30th of that month it joined the 
Allied Army at Grevenbrouck, having had an addition made 
to it of four guns before leaving England. The pay of the 
train amounted to 9289Z. 5s. per annum ; and the ammuni- 
tion with which they commenced the campaign consisted of 
3600 rounds, of which 3000 were round shot, and 600 
canister or case. They also carried 31 boxes of small hand- 



Chap. V. Increased appreciation of Artillay. 65 

grenades, and 754 grenades of a larger description. The 
condnct in the field of this train was admirable. Daring 
the whole campaign of 1702, their fire is described as having 
been carried on with " as much order, despatch, and success 
" as ever before was seen." 

And then, in the luxurious way in which war was made in 
those days, the army went into winter quarters. 

For the campaign of 1703, it was decided to augment the 
train of Artillery, and a warrant to that effect was issued to 
the Ordnance on the 8th February, 1703. The only difierence 
in the pereonnd of the train was the addition of five gunners 
to each company, they now outnumbering the matrosses for 
the first time. The addition to the guns consisted of six 
demi-culverins. 

In March of this year, the Board of Ordnance was also 
called upon to fit out two bomb- vessels for service in the 
Channel; and as the bomb-service remained long after 
the Kegiment existed, it may be interesting to the reader 
to learn the armament of these vessels. It consisted of three 
13-inch brass sea-service mortars, one vessel carrying two. 
For ammunition they carried 1200 shells and 40 carcasses, — 
besides 248 barrels of powder. The Artillerymen on board 
were represented by three fireworkers, six bombardiers, and 
two artificers ; but as provision was made for ten, not eleven, 
•* small flock bedds, bolsters, ruggs, and blankets," it is to 
be presumed either that one of the number was above the 
necessity of sleep, or that a certain socialism existed in 
the matter of beds, which admitted of the individual on dutv 
adjourning to the bed vacated by the man who relieved 
him. 

In a later warrant of the same year, when a larger number 
of these vessels was ordered to the Mediterranean, a Fire- 
master at 8«. per diem was placed over the fireworkers, and 
a few conductors of stores were added. 

A further addition was made in 1704 to the train in Hol- 
land, showing the increased appreciation of the services of 
the Artillery. It consisted of six brass culverins and four 
3-pounders, with two gentlemen of the Ordnance, sixteevL 

VOL. I. V 




66 Marlboro7ig/i s Trains. Chap. v. 

gunners, and sixty of their assistants, the matrosses. Two 
more artificers were also added. 

An idea of the Artillery train under Marlborough's own 
command can be obtained from the above dry details, and 
when compared with the proportions of Artillery in the 
armies of more recent times, Marlborough's train excites a 
smile. The yalne of Artillery in the field had not yet been 
learned, while the cumbrous nature of its equipment was 
painfully present to every General. Not until Napoleon 
came on the scene did Artillery assume its proper place in 
European armies; not until the Franco-German War of 
1870 did it assume its proper place in European opinion. 

But equally interesting with the details of the train which 
Marlborough commanded are those of the trains, which, as 
Master-General of the Ordnance, he prepared for expeditions 
and services under other commanders, in the stormy time 
which was hushed to rest by the Peace of Utrecht. 

When the expedition to Portugal, ordered in 1703, but 
which did not take place till the following year, was decided 
on, the armament selected consisted merely of five brass sakers, 
and one 5^-pounder. 

For this small battery, a somewhat eccentric detail of 
attendants was ordered, characterized by the marked absence 
of Artillery officers. They were as follows: — One com- 
mander, styled commander-in-chief, with a daily pay of IZ. ; 
six engineers, with 10«. each ; a commissary of stores, five 
bombardiers, twenty gunners, and ten miners. The absence 
of matrosses in this detail is also remarkable. The deficien- 
cies in this train soon became apparent, for in 1705 we find 
it was reinforced by a captain, a lieutenant, a fireworker, a 
surgeon, and forty-two matrosses, with a proportion of non- 
commissioned officers. And with the reinforcement came 
six mountain S-pounders — guns, which from this time and 
for many years were familiarly known as grasshoppers. 

Among the other musty warrants of this time, calling upon 
" our entirely-beloved Master-General of the Ordnance, John 
" Duke of Marlborough," to furnish various trains and neces- 
saries, one short one on the 3rd October, 1704, has a peculiar 



Chap. V. Expedition to Spain. 67 

interest. Intelligence had just been received of the capture 
of Gibraltar by Sir George Rooke, and it became necessary 
to send, for the better protection of the Bock, a few guns, and 
some men familiar with their use. In this year, 1872, seven 
Batteries of Artillery, each numbering 160 men when com- 
plete, are considered necessary, the lesson not having yet 
been forgotten, which was taught by the great siege, when 
five weak companies were all the Artillery in the garrison, 
and gunners had to be improvised out of the ranks of the 
Infantry. But the force during the great siege was lavish 
compared with that deemed sufficient at first '* for the better 
"defence of y* said place." One chief engineer, Talbot 
Edwards by name, a storekeeper and his clerk, two fire- 
workers, six bombardiers, and fifty-five gunners, were at 
first deemed sufficient Artillery force for the defence of a 
place whose chief means of protection lay in its guns. Half- 
a-dozen brass 13-inch mortars, and four-and-twenty guns 
on ship carriages, varying from 6-pounders to 24-pounder8, 
constituted the armament sent from England. 

In April of the following year the Master-General was 
called upon to furnish a train for that romantic expedition 
to Spain under the brilliant Earl of Peterborough, the ser- 
vices of which afterwards at the capture of Barcelona called 
forth such commendation. It was a very small one. In a 
corps of 5000 men the following was the proportion of 
Artillery : — One colonel, one adjutant, two engineers, a 
commissary, a paymaster, four conductors, one master- 
gunner, four sergeants, four corporals, ten gunners, one 
firemaster, one fireworker, two bombardiers, two carpenters, 
three wheelwrights, two smiths, and a collar-maker. Mor- 
tars on travelling carriages were used by this train, and a 
considerable number of sets of men-harness which accom- 
panied it suggests the idea that the services of the other 
troops, or the peasantry, were enlisted, when necessary, to 
move the train from place to place. 

In May, 1706, 11,000 men under the command of Earl 
Rivers were ordered to sail from Plymouth on a wild and 
futile scheme for the invasion of France. The following vfa^ 



i 



68 MarlborougJis Trains, Chap. V. 

the proportion of Artillery considered necessary for this 
force by the Board over which Marlborough presided. The 
guns were forty-six in number, including twenty 24-pounder8, 
six culverins, four 12-pounder8, four demi-culverins, and six 
sakers. There were also sixty small coehorn mortars. 

To man the train, the following was the detail : a colonel, 
four engineers, two sub-engineers, a paymaster, a surgeon, 
with an assistant, a captain, a lieutenant, two gentlemen of 
the Ordnance, three sergeants, three corporals, thirty-two 
gunners, and sixty-four matrosses, a lieutenant of miners, 
and seventeen men, a firemaster, three fireworkers, and 
twelve bombardiers, a commissary, clerk of the stores, twelve 
conductors, three smiths, three wheelwrights, five carpenters, 
two coopers, a collar-maker, two farriers, and fifteen carters. 
In this train the lieutenant of miners and the chief carpenter, 
received each 4s. a day, while the assistant-surgeon with his 
3«. remains ranked with the farriers, cooper's mate, and 
collar-maker. 

The list of stores is too long for reproduction here. But 
it included 200 sets of single harness for men, and four 
sets of harness for fifty men to each set. Tumbrils and 
waggons innumerable were ordered; 400 wheelbarrows, 
2000 palisadoes, 1600 horseshoes, tents, single and double 
beds, and an assortment of artificers' tools such as would 
enrich a colony. Altogether it was an appalling catalogue. 
The ammunition for the train included 22,000 round shot, 
2400 mortar-bombs, 800 case-shot, and 3000 barrels of 
powder. For the Infantry 46 tons of musket-shot were 
carried, and 100,000 flints. 

In 1707, it was resolved to reduce the trains formerly 
under the directions of Lords Galway, Peterborough, and 
Rivers, into one field train for service in Spain, and as the 
Board of Ordnance reported that they had no money for 
the subsistence of the train, thq commissioners of the 
Treasury were ordered to pay the cost out of the 500,0007. 
voted by Parliament with a view to "strengthening the 
" Army of the Duke of Savoy for making good our alliances 
'' with the King of Portugal, and for the more eflectual 



Chap. V. The Train for North Britain. 69 

"carrying on the war of the recovery of the Spanish 
" monarchy to the house of Austria." Tem'pora mutantur : 
'what ministerial eloquence would be able to charm money 
out of a House of Commons now for such a purpose ? The 
following was the detail of the combined train : — one colonel, 
and one lieutenant-colonel, receiving the same pay, IZ. 58, per 
diem ; one major, at 15«. ; one comptroller, at 1/, ; one pay- 
master, at 88. and an assistant at 38. 6d. ; an adjutant, 
quartermaster, commissary of horse, and waggon-master, 
each at 63. ; a surgeon, at Ss., and two assistants, at 3s. ; 
two captains, two lieutenants, two gentlemen of the Ord- 
nance, six sergeants, six corporals, forty gunners, eighty 
matrosses, four drummers, ten engineers, a fireworker, 
two bombardiers, twelve conductors, and twenty-one arti- 
ficers. There was also a provost-marshal with two as- 
sistants. 

Only one 'more train requires to be mentioned. After the 
legislative union between Scotland and England, it was 
decided by the Board of Ordnance to establish a small per- 
manent train, called the train for North Britain, at Edin- 
burgh, Stirling, and Fort William. As mentioned in the 
first chapter of this book, the last-named place did not derive 
the benefit that was contemplated at the formation of this 
train. From the nature of the Ordnance sent to Scotland, 
the absence of conductors and matrosses, and the presence of 
storekeepers and gunsmiths, it is evident that a field train, 
in the sense of one for service in the field, was not contem- 
plated. The defence of the fortresses at the three places 
named was all that was intended, combined with the super- 
vision of the Ordnance Stores which might be deposited in 
them. 

The capture of Minorca during the war involved a small 
train for Port Mahon in that Island ; and another was 
required for Annapolis in 1710. 

, After the Peace of Utrecht, the Ordnance Board found 
that in addition to its small peace establishment in England 
there were four trains to keep up permanently, whether in 
peace or war, which were not required before. These were 



70 Marlborough's Trains. Chap. v. 

the trains of North Britain, Gibraltar, Port Mahon, and a 
joint train for service in Placentia and Annapolis. 

The raison d*etre of the trains at the first three of these 
places has already been given. To explain the circnmstances 
under which the other places became a charge' on the Ord- 
nance will require another chapter. 



( 71 ) 



CHAPTEIl VI. 



Annapolis. 



ON the Nova Scotian side of the Bay of Fundy, imme- 
diately opposite the City of St. John, New Brunswick, 
there is a narrow inlet of the sea, walled by perpendicular 
and densely wooded hills. A few scattered cottages, be- 
longing to fishermen, speck the deep green of the forest, as 
the traveller passes up this narrow channel, known by the 
uneuphonious name of Digby Gut. Digby is a small pic- 
turesque village, iiiimediately inside the channel, which here 
opens out into a wide basin, large enough to float mighty 
navies, and beyond description beautiful. In the spring of 
1604, a French Protestant, M. de Monts, first discovered 
this harbour of safety, and one of his comrades, Potrincourt 
by name, was so enchanted by its beauties, that he applied 
to the French monarch for a grant of the surrounding dis- 
trict. At the end of the basin, furthest from the entrance 
and at the mouth of a river, now called the Cornwallis river, 
he built a Fort and a village, to which he gave the name of 
Port Eoyal. The history of this little village has been one 
of marvellous interest; and until the beginning of the 
eighteenth century, it was written in letters of blood. Since 
it finally became the property of England, its existence has 
been a peaceful one ; and now, alas, the mouldering ramparts, 
the tumbling, grass-grown walls of the old fort, and the 
windowless, stairless barrack, proclaim in unmistakable 
language the advent of a new colonial epoch, and the retreat 
of British troops before that new enemy— expense. The 
train required for its defence, after its final capture, was one 
of the arguments used in favour of creating a permanent 
force of Artillery in England ; and for more than a century 



72 Annapolis. Chap. VI. 

this village of Port Koyal, or Annapolis, has been entwined 
in the history of tlie Iloyal Artillery. 

If all historical researches were pursued in such beautiful 
localities, the historian would bo the veriest sybarite of 
literature. By the tumbling fortifications now stands one 
of the loveliest vill&ges on the face of this world. The river, 
at whose mouth it is built, wanders through a valley, which, 
in summer, is like a dream of beauty. Rich iniervalle land 
on either bank, covered with heavy crops of every kind ; fields 
and gardens studded \Nith apple-trees, planted by the old 
French inhabitants ; grapes in heavy clusters growing and 
ripening in the open air, and clean, white churches and 
cottages studding the landscape for miles; all unite in 
forming a picture, like the Utopia which haunts the 
dreamer's mind. The garden of Canada — an Artilleryman 
may well rejoice that so lovely a spot had a share in the 
birth of the corps to which he belongs. 

The early history of the place may be summed up in a few 
words. In 1606, an addition to the little colony was made 
of more French emigrants ; cultivation of the soil, and the 
breeding of cattle occupied the peaceful inhabitants ; and 
they lived in perfect amity with the surrounding Indians. 
Difficulties having arisen about the original charter, Potrin- 
court went to France, and secured from the King the grant 
of the territory : subject, however, to a distasteful condition, 
that he should take two Jesuit priests with him on his 
return. He did so ; but made them as uncomfortable as he 
could, and in 1613, they left him to join a settlement, also 
near the Bay of Fundy, vowing vengeance against him in 
their hearts. Although England and France were at peace, 
a sea rover from Virginia, named ArgoU, came with his ship, 
and pilaged the Jesuits' new home, killing one, and making 
the other prisoner. Fired by his success, and urged and 
guided by the revengeful priest, he next fitted out an expe- 
dition against Port Eoyal, and succeeded in destroying the 
fort, and scattering the settlers, some of whom joirted the 
neighbouring Indian tribes. During the next few years, 
more French immigrants settled in a scattered, unmethodical 



Chap. VI. Its early History. 73 



-rr- 



way, over the province of l(ova^6tia, or Acftdia^ aV JVwis 
called ; and some coming feo^brt Royali the little cobny" 
commenced to revive. \^ \^ - '^^.i , ^ 

But, in 1G27, Kirke's fleet s^il^d^oin England^to destro; 
the French settlements in Nova ScoRlr7-aid:f^ijiQ]agj>flf^8j 
he, ravaged unhappy Port Royal. And from this time dates 
the struggle in America between France and England, which 
lasted a hundred years. In 1629, it may be said, that we had 
added Nova Scotia to our possessions ; but in 1 632, we gave 
it back to France ; Charles I. having been in treaty with the 
French King, even while our expedition in America was at 
-work, and having consented to let the French have Quebec 
and all our recent American conquests back again. In 1655, 
Cromwell recovered Port Eoyal, by means of an expedition 
he sent for that purpose under one Major Sedgwick. The 
fort had by this time been strengthened and armed ; but it 
had to surrender to the impetuosity of our troops. Much 
labour and money was now spent on the fortifications by the 
English, but all to no purpose, for by the treaty of Breda, 
Charles II. ceded Nova Scotia to the French again. Cer- 
tainly, the Stuarts were cruel to our colonies ; and it 
required all the enterprise of our merchants, and all the 
courage and skill of our seamen and fishermen to resist utter 
extinction under the treatment they received. The day was 
to come — and to last for many a year, when a worse evil 
than the Stuarts was to blight our colonies — the nightmare 
of the Colonial Office. As the former was the positive, so 
it was the comparative degree of colonial endurance. Is it 
true that a superlative degree is coming on them now ? Is 
it true, that in our Statesmen's minds there exists a coldness, 
an indifierence to our colonies, which in time of trial or 
danger will certainly pass into impatience and an anxiety to 
be free from colonial appendages ? 

If it be so, then, indeed, the superlative degree of blunder- 
ing and misery is approaching; but the misery, like the 
blundering, will be found this time, not in the colonies, but 
in England. 

For sixteen years after the treaty of Breda, Port Eoyal 



74 Annapolis. Chap. VI. 

^as left comparatiyelT undisturbed ; the French population 
reaching, in the year 1671, 361 souls; 364 acres having 
been brought under cultivation, and nearly lOOO sheep and 
cattle being owned by the settlers. 

In 1680, however, the English again, for the fifth time, 
obtained possession of it ; and again lost it. After its re- 
capture, and before 1686, considerable additions had been 
made to the fortfications by the French ; and in the treaty 
of that year between France and England, it was resolved 
— a resolution which was never kept — that although the 
mother countries might quarrel, their respective American 
subjects might continue to maintain mutual peaceable rela- 
tions. After the Ee volution of 1688, war broke out in 
Europe once more between France and England, and their 
American children followed suit. Port Boyal being the head- 
quarters for the French ships attracted the attention of Sir 
William Phipps, who after capturing and pillaging it aban- 
doned it again to the French. 

And the treaty of Byswick again officially announced that 
the whole of Nova Scotia was French territory. 

In 1699, and again in 1701, considerable labour was de- 
voted by the French to strengthening the works of Port 
Boyal ; an increase to the garrison was made from France, 
and the militia in the surrounding settlements were carefully 
trained and armed. 

Every difficulty was interposed by the French governors 
between the settlers and the New England merchants, who 
were mutually eager for trade. Exasperated by prohibitory 
duties on their wares, the latter first tried smuggling, and 
then hostile expeditions. One such was made from Boston 
in 1704 ; and although Port Boyal made a successful resist- 
ance, much damage was done to the surrounding country. 

In 1707, two expeditions were made from New England, 
and a large force of militia accompanied them. They were 
convoyed by a man-of-war, and would undoubtedly have 
captured the place, had it not been for the personal energy 
of Subercase, the French governor, who rallied the neigh- 
bouring inhabitants, and drove back the English, thoroughly 



Chap, vl Cause of the Incessant War. 75 

dispirited. On the second occasion, the English attempted 
to float their artillery up the river with the tide by night, 
and attack the fort from the land side. The rise and fall of 
the tide in the Bay of Fundy and its inlets are very great, 
often reaching sixty feet. The French governor, seeing the 
enemy's design, lit large fires along the banks of the river, 
and exposed the drifting boats with the English gnns on 
board to the view of the artillerymen in the fort, who opened 
a fire which utterly prevented the English from advancing 
further, or effecting a landing. By the 1st of September, 
the New Englanders were utterly foiled and dispirited, the 
object of the expedition was frustrated, and the fleet weighed 
anchor and returned to Boston. After these two attempts, 
rendered unsuccessful by the marvellous tact and energy of 
one man, Port Boyal enjoyed comparative rest, and the 
leisure of the inhabitants was devoted to strengthening the 
works during the next two years. 

Before describing the circumstances of its final capture, 
let some explanation be given of the incessant war which 
went on for so many years between the French and English 
colonists in North America. It was not a burning interest 
in the European questions agitating the parent countries 
that animated their Western children ; the parent quarrels 
were an excuse, but not a reason, for their mutual aggres- 
sion ; and the absence of such excuse did not ensure peace in 
America. The cause lay in the two feelings which prompt 
most wars : thirst for revenge and love of trade. The way 
in which the last acted has already been hinted at. There 
was undoubtedly a market among the French colonists, 
which was all the New England merchants could desire ; and 
so ready were the French peasants to trade, that no pro- 
hibitory action of their rulers could conceal their desire, 
although in a great measure it might prevent its gratification. 
The knowledge of this made the New Englanders frantic. 
They were men of immense energy, as they are now ; they 
were of magnificent physique, made for war and hardship ; 
and they rebelled against any obstacle to what they deemed 
their legitimate wishes. Their anger became intolerance; 



76 Annapolis. Chap. VI. 

their intolerance became aggressive ; and the result was first 
smuggling, theh privateering, and finally war. 

But another motive was thirst for revenge. And why ? 
Was there not room on this vast continent for both nations 
to plant any wandering or surplus children, without the 
vile passions seeking place, which thrive in the hot-bed of 
crowded, neighbouring, and rival states ? Here the old poet's 
words come in most truly : " Coelum, non animum, mutant, 
qui trans mare currunt." 

National jealousies were reproduced : the French allied 
themselves in Canada with the Indians, and incessant in- 
cursions were made thence by them on the English colonies. 
Hardly a child grew up in New England who did not know 
of some hideous tragedy in the domestic life of his immediate 
neighbours, if not in his own family ; from infancy one of 
the articles of his creed was detestation of the French ; and 
this feeling found ready and revengeful expression whenever 
opportunity offered. But revenge is not always true in 
its aim, is indeed often wofully blind ; and too often when 
maddened with thoughts of cruelty and outrage on his wife 
or sisters — and what thoughts stir the Anglo-Saxon more 
fiercely ? — he would avenge himself wildly and recklessly on 
victims who mayhap were innocent. And so the ghastly 
vendetta crossed from hand to hand, from one side to the 
other, and hardly a year passed without its existence being 
attested by tales of horror and of blood ! 

But the end for Port Royal was approaching, an end which 
was to mean defeat, but was to ensure a lasting peace. In 
1709, news reached the Governor of an intended attack on a 
large scale in the ensuing spring by the English ; and as 
his garrison had recently been much reduced by disease, he 
wrote, strongly urging its reinforcement either from France, 
or from the French post at Placentia, in Newfoundland. 
Apparently, his request was not complied with ; and after a 
gallant, and almost heroic resistance. Port Boyal capitulated 
in the following year to the expeditionary forces under the 
command of Colonel Nicholson, comprising regular troops 
from England, militia from New York, and a strong train of 



Chap. VI. Captured and Garrisoned by the English, 77 



Artillery, — the whole being supported by a powerful fleet. 
On the 2nd October, 1710, the capitulation was signed; and, 
out of compliment to the Queen, the name of the village was 
changed to Annapolis. 

A fortnight after the expedition left England for New 
York and Boston, cfii route to Port Eoyal, a Eoyal Warrant 
was issued establishing a Train of Artillery to ffarrison 
Annapolis. It will thus be seen that so confident was the 
English Government of the success of the expedition, that 
the new name for Port Koyal had already been fixed, and 
arrangements made for a permanent garrison. The acqui- 
sition of Newfoundland followed ; the French garrison of 
Placentia were allowed with many of the inhabitants to go to 
the Island of Cape Breton, where they fortified a place which 
will occupy a prominent part in this volume, Louisbourg ; 
and the year 1713 saw, by the Treaty of Utrecht, Acadia or 
Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland formally surrendered to the 
English. 

The train of Artillery formed to garrison Annapolis, and 
its adjunct ordered three years later for Placentia, were two 
of the permanent trains used as arguments in 1716 for 
establishing a fixed Artillery Regiment which could feed 
these foreign garrisons — arguments which in that year 
brought into existence the Royal Regiment of Artillery. 

The Artillery garrison ordered for Annapolis in 1710, 
comprised a captain, a lieutenant, a surgeon, 4 non-commis- 
sioned officers, 11 gunners, 40 matrosses, an engineer, a 
storekeeper, 3 bombardiers, and 2 armourers. 

That for Placentia was smaller and diflerently constituted. 
It consisted of an engineer, a master-gunner, 20 gunners, 
a mason, a smith, a carpenter, and an armourer. 

The cost of the Annapolis train was 1964?. 188. 4J. per 
annum : that of the Placentia train was 1259/. 5s. After 
the Regiment was created, these two trains or garrisons 
were generally furnished by the same company, and mutually 
met each other's deficiencies or demands. For many years, 
these places appeared in the Ordnance estimates, not merely 
as items in the expense of maintaining the Artillery and 



78 Annapolis. Chap. VI. 

Engineers, but also as requiring considerable sums for forti- 
fications. Occasionally the number of men was reduced, as 
in 1725, when at Placentia there were only 1 lieutenant and 
8 gunners ; and at Annapolis, 1 lieutenant, 2 bombardiers, 
4 gunners, and 7 matrosses. But the amount spent on the 
fortifications remained for years very considerable. Up to 
the year 1759, the average spent on this item annually at 
the two places was 3000/. and 1000/. ; but in 1747 and 1748, 
evidently exceptional years, the expenditure rose to 10,000/. 
and 6000/. respectively. In 1759, a large sum appears to 
have been spent in transporting to Nova Scotia the guns 
and stores taken from the French at Louisbourg. After 
1759, Annapolis gradually dwindles down as a military 
station, being dwarfed by Halifax, whose Artillery expenses 
in that year alone amounted to nearly 40,000/. 

For a century longer, Annapolis retained the special dis- 
tinction of giving the title of Governor, with a considerable 
income, to the officer commanding the troops in the maritime 
provinces of British North America. But its martial glory 
has now altogether faded ; gradually diminishing in numbers, 
its garrison at length consisted of the solitary barrack ser- 
geant, who is the " last man " of every military epic ; and 
now even he has departed. The old Fort is a ruin, the 
barracks crumbling and unsightly ; but, in spite of the pain 
one feels at first witnessing this modern indifi'erence to 
ancient story,— this forge tfulness of the memories which in 
stately procession troop through the student's mind, — this 
feeling is soon obliterated as one turns to gaze on happy 
homesteads and blooming gardens, and on contented faces 
which meet one at every turn as one wanders over the 
fert le country, away even to that " Bloody Creek," where, in 
one of their many engagements, some thirty Englishmen met 
a cruel death, by an unexpected attack made by some Indians. 

Where are the Indians now ? A few drunken, demoralized 
creatures hang about some of the towns ; two or three only 
have retained their love and instinct for the chase; and 
before many years shall have passed away, Acadia shall know 
the Mic-mac no more ! 



( 79 ) 



CHAPTER Vir. 

The Birth of the Regiment. 

THE honr had come, — and the man ! The Duke of Marl- 
borough was again at the head of the Ordnance, and 
was both capable himself of detecting the faults of the 
existing system, and of critically comprehending any sugges- 
tions for its improvement which the Board might lay before 
him. 

Never had the old system so completely broken down as 
during the rebellion in Scotland in 1715. The best practical 
Artilleryman in the pay of the Ordnance had been sent in 
command of the train — Albert Borgard ; but two years' rust 
since the peace of Utrecht had so tarnished any brightness 
which Artillery details in England had gained in the friction 
of the preceding campaigns, that Borgard's task was a hope- 
less one. Suspicions have been cast upon the loyalty of the 
Duke of Argyle, who commanded the King's forces in Scot- 
land, and certainly, at first sight, his contradictory orders to 
the Artillery ^xcite astonishment. But it is more probable 
that the key to his management of this arm lay in the 
impossible task of creating order out of what Borgard him- 
self described as " such confusion as cannot be expressed." 
In the month of December, the train was ordered to Scot- 
land ; it was February before they anchored in the Firth of 
Forth. The first orders received by Borgard from Argyle, 
were to send his ships and guns away to Innerkithen, and 
march his officers and " artillery people " to Stirling. On 
arriving there, he was ordered to take command of a very 
confused train of field-pieces, which had been ordered up 
from the Castle of Edinburgh. Part of this train he suc- 
ceeded in getting as far as Dundee, where orders were sent 
him to take the whole back again to Edinburgh h/ water. 



k 



80 Birth of the Regiment. Chap. VI I. 

In the following March, his enforced idleness was brought 
to an end by orders he received to send back his vessels with 
the guns, which had never been unshipped, to London. He 
and his men were then to be available for other service. 

Such a gross case of inability to furnish, within any 
reasonable time. Artillery for service in the field, followed 
by such uselessness and confusion, could not be overlooked, 
nor allowed to pass without an efibrt at improvement for the 
future. Public admission of defects in a Department cannot 
be expected; and when consciousness of their existence is 
present in the minds of the officials, their manner is to sug- 
gest a remedy, but to evolve the evil, which the remedy is to 
cure, either from other sources, or from their own imagina- 
tions. The student, who turns from the ghastly tale of 
incompetence and blundering in 1715, to see what steps the 
Ordnance Board took to prevent its recurrence, need not, 
therefore, be surprised to find a very slight allusion to their 
own blunders, and a gushing catalogue of the benefits which 
will result from the adoption of their new suggestions. In 
fact, in their letter of 1 0th January, 1716, to the Master- 
General, the members of the Board use language of virtuous 
and indignant protest ; and instead of alluding to the recent 
failures, they talk of the hardships which the existing system 
had wrought upon their office. It is, perhaps, ungracious to 
criticise too closely the language used when suggesting a 
really important and valuable innovation ; but when we find 
the foreign establishments of Annapolis and Placentia, of 
Gibraltar and Port Mahon, quoted as the arguments in chief 
for a change, which would probably never have been sug- 
gested but for the conspicuous failure of the preceding year, 
the temptation is irresistible to draw the mask from the face 
of complacent officialism. 

Summing the case up in a few words, it may be said that 
the annual cost of that part of the military branch of the 
office of the Ordnance which the Board proposed gradually 
to abolish at this time, including the foreign establish- 
ments at the places above mentioned, amounted to 1G,829/. 
The liegimental establishment, which it was now proposed 



Chap. VII. Economies suggested by the Board. 8 1 

to snbstitnte by degrees, consisting of four companies with 
an adequate staff, would, on the Board's calculation, cost 
only 15,539/. 

The main reduction was to be obtained by allowing the 
North Britain establishment, which cost annually 12007., 
gradually to become extinct, the duties to be performed by 
the new companies. The foreign establishments were also 
to be supplied in the same way. Of course, it was not pre- 
tended that all this could be done at once. But as vacancies 
occurred in the existing establishment, the money would go 
to furnish men for the cadres of the new companies, which 
it was proposed at once to create. And by removing the 
Artillery officers and the 120 gunners now on the old esta- 
blishment to the rolls of the new companies, the skeletons 
would have a little flesh and blood from the commencement. 

The details of the other economies suggested by the Board, 
and the list of officials whose places it was not proposed to 
fill when vacant, naturally excite the curiosity of the student. 
Surely, this time at least, a little self-denial will be practised 
by the Honourable Board; some superfluous clerks and 
secretaries will be lopped ofi*; and after their protest against 
those members of the military branch who never go on duty 
without having heavy travelling charges and extra pay, 
surely we shall find some economy practised by the Honour- 
able Board, whose members revel in these very items. Alas ! 
no. Tradition is too strong; and self-preservation is their 
first instinct. There are storekeepers in Edinburgh and 
Fort William, whom distance will prevent from personal 
remonstrance; a percentage of their wretched income can 
safely be taken. And as for those whose offices are ulti- 
mately to be extinguished, they themselves can have no 
personal grievance, and posterity can look after itself. So, 
engineers, and firemasters, and petardiers, are marked for 
destruction ; and the Board's sacrilegious hand is raised 
against the Master-Gunner of England himself! 

It was on the 26th day of May, 1716, that the Begimental 
Baby was born. It was smaller than had been expected; 
but it has proved a healthy and long-lived child, and, as its 

VOL. I. G 



82 Birth of the Regiment. Chap. V 1 1. 

nurse might have said, it has grown out of all knowledge. 
Only two companies — without any staff — were given at first, 
at an annual cost of 4891/. But, in Colonel Miller's clear 
language, " considering that these two companies were never 
" reduced, and that the remaining two, as well as the field- 
"officers, were added within a few years, there can be no 
" hesitation about taking this as the starting-point for any 
** Beffimental Records of the Boyal Artillery." 

In December, 1716, the Board was able to inform the 
Master-General of the success of the scheme : the two com- 
panies were nearly complete ; but the dream of feeding the 
foreign establishments could not be realized, from the fact 
that only half its proposal had, as yet, been carried into 
effect. So it was obliged to request that arrangements 
for these should be made for the present, elsewhere than 
from the two companies at home. Ere many years had 
passed, the whole of the scheme recommended by the Duke 
of Marlborough was at work; in 1722, a Colonel was. given 
to the Begiment ; and in 1727, we find a Lieutenant-Colonel 
and a Major, as well as four complete companies : but in the 
years of comparative quiet which followed, no further aug- 
mentation took place. It was not until the year 1740, that 
we find two more companies added to the Begiment. 

The name of the Lieutenant-Colonel in 1727, one we have 
already met with, and who had seen much service, was 
Jonas Watson. That of the Major was James Petit. He 
also had seen considerable service ; but neither of them in 
that respect could approach the brave and experienced officer 
to whom the command of the Begiment was given by George 
I., in 1722, and emphatically renewed by George 11., in 1727, 
the celebrated Albert Borgard. 



I 



( 83 ) 



N 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Albert Bobgabd. 

OT a statesman, not over-refined, and no scholar, a 
mere soldier of fortune — yet brave, and honest, and 
true — Albert Borgard deserves more than a passing notice 
in a history of the Begiment which he was the first to 
command. 

He was by birth a Dane. Bom in 1659, he commenced 
his life as a soldier when sixteen years of age, and until the 
day of his death, on the 7th February, 1751, at the age of 
ninety-two years, he never had a thought beyond his pro- 
fession and his duty. The diary appended to this chapter 
gives in his own words the best summary of his career 
which can be writtenu For naiveti and modesty, it can 
hardly be surpassed. The compression into two or three 
lines, of events on which most men would enlarge with 
efiusion ; and the simple narrative of wounds and hardships, 
as if such were the ordinary circumstances of war, and un- 
worthy of special comment, cannot fail to strike the most 
superficial reader. The only sentence that gives us pain is 
the plaintive allusion to one who supplanted him with the 
Board of Ordnance, as Consulting Artilleryman and En- 
gineer. He was so devoted to his profession, that anything 
which looked like putting him on one side hurt him beyond 
expression. There is a time in the lives of many active men, 
when they realize painfully that others are growing up who 
can outstrip them in work, or who have modern ideas and 
appliances which it is now too late for them to learn. The 
pain of such a discovery is, ^perhaps, the most acute that a 
man can feel. 

From that date, Borgard devoted himself to his men. 
Living in the Warren at Woolwich, constantly among them, 



84 Albert Borgard. Chap. vili. 

he was incessant in urging them to master the details of 
their profession. Being devoted himself to all laboratory 
work, his order-books are full of instructions to the cadets 
and young officers, to devote their leisure to practical lessons 
in that department. And he encouraged any who might 
succeed in making any good " Firework " to bring it to him 
for inspection and approval. He was a strict disciplinarian ; 
and some of the punishments he awarded would astonish 
modern soldiers. But he was essentially honest, incapable of 
falsehood or meanness, and if every man in this worthy world 
were, like him, brave and honest and true, what a Paradise 
it would be ! 

He commenced his military career in the service of the 
King of Denmark. He went from that, in 1689, to the King 
of Prussia's service ; served in Hungary in 1691 ; and was 
induced by William HI. to join the English service in the 
following year. At the termination of hostilities he and one 
other foreigner, named Schlunt, whose name appears in the 
list of officers of the short-lived regiment of 1698, were the 
only Artillerymen other than English, who were selected to 
proceed to England for permanent employment. 

In 1702, he went as Major in the expedition to Cadiz, 
and carried on a successful bombardment with the five 
bomb- vessels under his command. In the following year he 
volunteered for service under Marlborough, but, after a few 
months in Flanders, he was recalled to proceed to Spain with 
the expedition under Sir George Eooke and the Duke de 
Schomberg, which escorted the Archduke Charles, who had 
just been proclaimed by his father, King of Spain. Until 
the year 1710, he was engaged in all the hostilities which 
were now carried on in Spain, and of which his diary gives 
a summary. In 1705, at the siege of Valencia, which was 
taken by the English under Lord Galway, (who had been ap- 
pointed to the command in place of Schomberg), he lost his 
left arm ; and in 1710, he was wounded in the leg by a round 
shot, and taken prisoner. 

But his first service with the Boyal Artillery, after its 
existence as a regiment, was in 1719, when he went in com- 



Chap. VIII. The First Train of Artillery. 85 

inand of the Artillery of Lord Cobham's force against Spain, 
and snccessfnlly bombarded Vigo, The troops, 4000 in 
nnmber, embarked in a squadron of five men-of-war under 
Admiral Mighells, and coasting from Corunna to Vigo, were 
landed two or three miles from the town. The garrison of 
Vigo withdrew to the citadel, spiking the guns in the town ; 
but so heavy and well-directed was the fire of the English, 
that they soon capitulated. 

The whole of the Artillery arrangements, both in preparing 
and handling the train, had been under Colonel Borgard's 
sole control. Judging from the entry in his diary, he was 
far more pleased by the success of his inventions and im- 
provements in the materiel of his train, than by the surrender 
of the enemy. 

As this was the first train of Artillery to which the Boyal 
Artillery Companies were attached on active service, it has 
been considered desirable to give some details as to its con- 
stitution. 

First, as to personnel: — It was commanded by Colonel 
Borgard, assisted by a major, a captain, three lieutenants, 
and four fireworkers. The medical stafi*, a surgeon and his 
assistant, received a little more remuneration than in former 
trains ; their daily pay — which to a modern ear has a very 
legal sound — being respectively 6«. 8d. and 3«. id. There 
were seven non-commissioned oflScers, twenty gunners, forty 
matrosses, two drummers, and ten artificers. Engineers, 
conductors, drivers, and clerks were also present; and on 
account of the particular nature of the service on which 
the expeditionary force was to be engaged, ten watermen 
and a coxswain were included among the attendants of the 
train. 

Next, as to materiel: — Borgard selected for his purpose 
four 24-pounders, four 9-pounders, and six l^-pounders, 
brass guns, all mounted on travelling carriages, with a 
proportion of spare carriages for the first and last, spare 
limbers for the second, and spare wheels for all. He also 
took a number of brass mortars, six ten-inch, and two eight- 
inch, besides thirty Coehorn and twelve Royal mortars. The 



86 A Ibert Borgard. Chap. VIII. 

ammunition comprised 9800 round shot, 180 grape, 3800 
mortar shells, 1000 hand-grenades, and 100 carcasses for the 
ten-inch mortars. Two bomb-vessels, each carrying a thir- 
teen-inch mortar, and with two fireworkers, four bombardiers, 
and an artificer on board, accompanied the expedition, and 
were also under Colonel Borgard's command. 

The citadel capitulated on the 10th October, 1719, and a 
large quantity of guns and stores fell into the hands of the 
English. The first occasion, therefore, on which the Boyal 
Artillery as a Begiment was represented on active service 
was completely successful. The expedition returned to 
England in November. 

One more incident remains to be enlarged upon ere we 
leave the gallant officer to tell the story of his own life. In 
1716, when attending an experiment at the Foundry in 
Windmill Hill, where some brass guns were being recast, 
he was wounded in four places by an explosion which took 
place, and by which seventeen of the bystanders lost their 
lives. The accident had been foretold — so the story goes — 
by a young. Swiss named Schalch, who was thereupon invited, 
after his prophecy was fulfilled, to assist the Board of 
Ordnance in selecting a suitable place near London where 
all the guns required for the service might be cast. 

Young Schalch's hands were rather tied in the matter ; for 
he was limited to a radius of twelve miles round London. 
Had this not been the case, it is hardly probable that he 
would have named as the depot for national Artillery Stores, 
and as the National Arsenal — both of which he must have 
foreseen the place of his selection would become — a place so 
exposed as Woolwich. As it was, however, being limited to 
so small an area, his selection was a natural one for other 
than the reasons which would first occur to him, as it already 
had a special connection with Artillery manufactures, and 
with that Board under whose orders he was to work. 

Few cpuntries, and fewer Boards, have ever had a more 
faithful servant than he proved. As Superintendent of 
the Foundries, which were built at his suggestion, he lived 
for sixty years, '^ during which time not a single accident 



Chap. VIII. In tlu Danish Service. 87 

"occurred." ^ The Boyal Artillery may well be proud of such 
a man, who, although not in the Begiment, was so intimately 
connected with it by the nature of his duties ; and as all the 
management of the various departments in the Arsenal is 
in the hands of officers of the Begiment now, there is no 
better model for them to study than this father, so to speak, 
of Woolwich Arsenal. And the interest which must be felt 
in him for his own skill and services is increased by the 
knowledge that no less than six of his descendants have 
held commissions in the Boyal Artillery. 

Appended to the chapter will now be found the diary of 
Borgard, to which allusion has so often been made, copied 
from a manuscript in the Boyal Artillery Begimental Library. 
In addition to the short account of his services, it contains 
lists of the various battles and sieges in which he took part,, 
and the dates of his various commissions. 

" An Account of the Battels, Sieges, &c., wherein Lieu- 
'^ tenant-General Albert Borgard hath served, with what 
'^ time and station, and in what Prince's service, as also the 

dates of his commissions during the time of his being in 

the English service, viz. — 






"Li the King op Denmark's Service. 

1675. "Served as a cadet in the Queen's Begiment of 
" Foot, and was at the siege of Wismar (a town in the ter- 
" ritories of Mecklenburg), then belonging to the Sweeds, 
" which was taken by the Danes in the said year in the 
" month of December." 

1676. " Was ordered from the Army with a Detachment 
" of Foot on board the Fleet. A battle was fought with the 
" Sweeds near Oeland in the Baltick, the 11th of June, 
" wherein the Danes obtained a compleat victory. With the 
** aforesaid Detachment in the month of July we landed in 
" Schonen, and joyned the Danish Army at the Siege of the 
" Castle at Helsingborg, which place the Danes took from 
" the Sweeds in the said month by capitulation. 



' lirowae's * Eni;laud's Artillery mcu.* 









88 Albert Borgard. Chap.viii. 

" Marched from thence, and was at the Siege of the Town 
'' and Castle of Landskroon. One night the Sweeds made a 
" great sally out of the Town with Horse and Foot ; the 
'' Danes beat them back, and followed them into the town 
'' and took it sword in hand. The Castle after some days' 
'^ bombardment was taken by capitulation. 

In the month of August, we marched from Landskroon 

to Christianstat, which town was taken from the Sweeds, 

sword in hand, some days after it was invested, without 
" opening trenches. The Garrison did consist of near 3000 
" men, which were all cut to pieces. Liberty for three 

hours' time was granted to the soldiers to plunder the 

town, where there was found a great deal of riches and 
" treasure. 

" In the latter end of August, I was one of the 4000 men 
" of the Army which marched from Christianstat to besiege 
" the Town Halmstat. Upon their march they were inter- 
" cepted and totally defeated by the Sweeds, of which number 
" not above 700 men made their escape. 

"In the month of September, several young men that 
" were well recommended were taken out of the Foot Begi- 
" ments to be made gunners of y* Artillery, of which I was 
" one of the number, and served as such in the great Battle 
" of Lund (in the month of December) between the Sweeds 
" and the Danes, which continued from sun-rising to sun- 
" setting. This was counted a drawn battle, because both 
" Army's Artillery remained in the field that night. 

1677. " I likewise served as a gunner in the Battle fought 
" between the Sweeds and the Danes, near Sierkiobing or 
" Bonneberg, two leagues from Landskroon, in the month of 
" July, where the Sweeds had a compleat victory. In the 
'^ latter end of the same month I was ordered from Schonen 

with more gunners to the Siege of Mastraud, in Norway. 

In the month of July, the Town with a little Fort was 
'^ attacked and taken sword in hand, and two other Castles 

near the same place were taken by capitulation. In the 

latter end of August we marched with a body of the Nor- 
" wegian Army, and fell in the night-time on the Sweeds at 









Chap. VIII. hi i/ie Danish Service. 89 



a 
it 






" Odewald, beat them, and took from them twelve pieces of 
'^ cannon, and all their baggage. 

1678. " In the month of September, a great Detachment 
" of the Danish Army, where I was one of the number, was 

ordered in the expedition to the Island of Lauterugen, in 
the Baltick. We landed on the said Island, though we 
" mett with great opposition from the Sweeds. We beat 
'' them and obliged them to retire to Stralsund. 

1679. " I was made a Fireworker, and ordered on a survey 
'' of the Island of Sealand, in Denmark. 

1680. " I with another Fireworker was ordered to Berlin 
" in exchange of two Brandenburgher Fireworkers, sent to 
" Denmark to learn the difference of each nation's work 
" relating to all sorts of warlike and pleasaunt Fireworks. 

1681. " I was ordered to go from Berlin to Strasburg to 
^' perfect myself in all things relating to Fortification. 

1682. " I was ordered back again from Strasburg to Gluck- 
stadt, in Holstein, where I was made Ensign in the Queen's 
Eegiment of Foot. 

1683. '^ I was made a Lieutenant in the same Begiment, 
" and ordered with the Duke of Wirtemberg, who went a 
" voluntier to the relief of Vienna, in Austria, where I was 
" in the Battle fought by the Germans and Poles against 
" the Turks the 11th day of September. The Turks were 
" totally defeated with the loss of their Artillery and greatest 
" part of their baggage. 

1684. " I was ordered with several other engineers under 
" Colonel Scholten's command to fortifie a place called Farrell, 
" in the County of Oldenburg. 

1685. " I was ordered by the aforesaid Duke of Wirtem- 
" berg, who went a voluntier to Hungary, and was both of 
" us at the Siege of Niewhausel and the Battle of Grau in 
" the month of August. The Germans beat the Turks, and 
" took twenty- three pieces of cannon, with some of their bag- 
" gage, and some days after the battle, Niewhausel was taken 
" sword in hand. 

1686. " I went as a voluntier to Hungary, and was at 
" the Siege of Buda, and was recommended to Colonel Barner, 



90 Albert Borgard. Chap. Vl i I. 

" Commander of the Imperial Artillery, who employed me 
" during the Siege, in the Artillery service. The lower town 
'^ was taken in June without opposition. The upper town 
^' and castle were taken sword in hand in the month of Sep- 
'^ tember. Here I got so much plunder that paid for all my 
" campaign done in Hungary as a yoluntier. 

1687. " I was made a Lieutenant in the King of Den- 
'^ mark's Drabenten Guards, and was employed as Engineer 
" in the new Fortifications made at Copenhagen. 

1688. ** I quitted the Danish Service on account of some 
'' injustice done me in my promotion, and went as voluntier 
" to Poland. I was well recommended to his Polish Majesty. 
" I was in the action that happen'd at Budjack, when the 
'' Poles beat the Tartars, and killed and took prisoners to 
" the number of 2400. Here I took for my share two Tartars 
" prisoners, which had near cost me my life, by reason I 
" would not deliver them over to a Polish officer. 

" In the Kino op Prussia's Service. 

1689. ''In the month of January I was made a Lieu- 
'' tenant in the Prussian Guards, and the same year went 
" with my Colonel, Baron Truckis, who made a campaign as 
'' voluntier on the Bhine. I was in the month of March in 
" action of Niews, a little town between Keyserwart and 
*' Cologne, where the Brandenburghers totally beat the 
'' French and took all their baggage. In the month of June 
" I was at the Siege of Keyserwart, which place the Branden- 
'' burghers, after some days' bombardment, took from the 
** French by capitulation. In the month of July we marched 
" with the Army from Keyserwart to invest the town of 
" Bonn, which place was without intermission eight nights 
" and days bombarded, and totally destroyed. After the 
'' bombardment it was kept blockaded till the month of 
'* September. In this bombardment I commanded two 
** mortars ordered me by Colonel Wyller, commander of the 
" Prussian Artillery. In the month of August I went from 
" Bonn to Mentz, a town besieged by the Emperour's and 
" Allies' Army. In the taking of the Counterscarps or 



Chap. VIII. hi the Prussian Service. 91 

" Glacies of this place, it cost ns near 4000 men, by which 
" means the town was obliged to capitulate. In the month 
" of September the Duke of Lorrain went with 10,000 men 
" from Mentz, to reinforce the Allies' Army at Bonn. By 
" his arrival there the attack was regularly carried on, in 
" which service I was employed as Engineer, under the direc- 
" tion of Colonel Gore, who had the direction of the trenches 
" carried on by the Dutch forces. The Counterscarps or 
" Glacies, with a ravelin and a counterguard, were taken 
" sword in hand with the loss of 3000 men. The enemy was 
" beat into the town, which obliged them in two days' after 
" to capitulate. 

1691. "In the month of March 8000 of the Prussian 
" troops were ordered to Hungary. The company to which 
" I belonged was included in this number. We joined the 
" Emperour's Army in the month of June, and we fought a 
" Battle with the Turks at a place called Solankeman, where 
" we beat them totally, and took upwards of 100 pieces of 
" cannon, with a great part of their baggage, in the month 
" of August. 

1692. "I quitted the Prussian service, and agreed with 
" Count de Dohna for a Company of Foot, in a Kegiment of 
"Foot he was to raise for the service of the Emperour. 
" After some weeks spent in raising men for my company, 
"the capitulation broke off, because the Emperour would 
'^ not agree to the terms stipulated with the said Count. In 
" the month of April I went from the city of Dantzick to 

Holland, and from thence in company with some Danish 

voluntiers to y® Siege of Namur. After the siege I went 

" from Namur to the English and Allies' camp at Melle, and 

" from thence I marched with the Army to the camp at 

" Genap, where in the month of July I entered as Firemaster 

" into the English Artillery, under the command of Colonel 

" Gore. 

" In the English Service. 

1692. " I marched with the English Artillery to the 
"Battle of Steenkirke, and after the battle was ordered 
" with a Detachment of Fireworkers to joyn at Ostond those 






92 A Ibert Borgard. Chap. VI 1 1. 

"Artillery people which came from England under the 
** command of Sir Martin Beckman. From Ostend we 
" marched to Tourney, from thence to Dixmud, and at last 
" to quarter at Ghent. 

1693. " I was commanded with a Detachment of Fire- 
'' workers and Bombardiers to Liege, and from thence back 
" again to Nearhespe, where we fought the battle of Landen, 
" and where our Army was beat, and sixty-three pieces of 
" English cannon lost. After the battle I was ordered with 
"a detachment of Fireworkers to Sasvangand, in order to 
" embark the great Artillery for a secret expedition ; after 
"some days' labour was ordered back again to the Army 
" encamped at Nuioven, from thence into Flanders. 

1694. "I went with my Lieutenant-Colonel Browne to 
" the Siege of Huy, which place we took from the French 
" in the month of September, by capitulation. 

1695. "I was ordered with some mortars to follow the 
" Duke of Wirtemberg, who commanded a detachment of the 
"Army at Fort Knock invested by the said Duke. From 
" thence I was ordered with a detachment of the Artillery 
"to the Siege of Namur, which place I bombarded with 
" twelve great . mortars, and did throw about 4000 bombs 
"(into the town, Cohorn's Work, and Terra Nova), before 

the siege was over. The town capitulated in August, and 
Cohorn's Work and Terra Nova in September. 

1696. " Nothing material was done this year but making 
" intrenchments, marching, and countermarching with the 
" Army. 

1697. " This year was like the former till we encamped 
" at Brussels, where the cessation of arms was proclaimed." 
". . . . In the month of September the Army marched 
" into quarters, where the greatest part of the Artillery 
"people were ordered to England, foreigners excepted, 
" who were all discharged except myself and one by name 
" Schlunt. I was ordered to embark all the English Artil- 
"lery remaining in Flanders to be sent to England. I 
" myself went with the last embarkation in the month of 
" February." 






Chap. VIII. In the English Service. 93 

1698 to 1701. " I remained in England without being in 
" any action. 

1702. " I was made Major to the Artillery in the bomb 
" vessels sent on the expedition to Cadiz, under the command 
" of His Grace the Duke of Ormond and Admiral Kooke. In 
" this expedition I bombarded with five bomb vessels, first, 
" St. Catharina, with such success that it capitulated. I 
'^ also bombarded with some land mortars the Fort Mata- 
"gorde. At our arrival at Vigo, I bombarded with three 
"bomb vessels Fort Durand, which was taken sword in 
" hand by the land forces. The Fleet entered and broke the 
" boom which was laid over the entrance of the harbour near 
** the said Fort, took and destroyed all the ships of war, 
" galleons, &c., to the number of thirty-seven. 

1703. "Went as voluntier to Flanders. After some 
" months' stay was recalled to England in order to command 
" the English Artillery ordered to Portugall, with this pre- 
" sent Emperour, being at that time King of Spain. Two 
"of the transports laden with stores under my command 
" were lost in the great storm in the Downs, where myself 
" then rode, and was afterwards obliged to go to Portsmouth 
" to repair the damage we had received by that storm. 

1704. "Nothing material done with the Army but 
" marching and counter-marching. 

1705. " I was at the Siege of Valencia d'Alcantra, which 
" the English took from the Spaniards sword in hand. At 
" this siege, in building the Battery, I had my left arm shot 
" to pieces. 

1706. " I was at the Siege of Alcantra, which place the 
" English and Allies took by capitulation in the month of 
" April. Here I received a contused wound on my left 
"breast. Marched from thence to Corea and Plazencia. 
"Both towns declared for King Charles, and from thence 
" marched to the Bridge of Almaraz, and so back to Corea 
" and to Ciudad Eodrigo, which place we besieged and took 
" by capitulation in the month of May. Marched from thence 
"to the Town Salamanca, which place declared for King 
" Charles ; from thence to Madrid, which likewise declared 



9+ Albert Borgard. Chap. Vlll. 

"for King Charles, where we encamped ten days. From 
"Madrid we marched to Gnadalaxara; from thence to 
** Guadraka, where I cannonaded in the month of Augnst 
" for two days together the Duke of Berwick's Army ; from 
"thence marched back to Gnadalaxara, and so on to St. 
" Jonne, from which place we retreated into the kingdom of 
" Valencia, where the enemy followed ns close till we had 
" got over the pass at Raguina. 

1707. " In the month of April we marched from Valencia 
" to the Battle of Almanza, where our Army was totally 
"routed, and the remaining part retreated to Toroza in 
" Catalonia. In this battle we lost all the Portuguese Artil- 
" lery, and most part of the Artillery people were taken 
" prisoners or cut to pieces ; and I had the misfortune to 
" lose all my baggage. 

1708. "I commanded the Artillery on the expedition 
" with Major-General Stanhope to the Island of Minorca, 
" where we landed in September, and after I had built my 
" battery by which I dismounted the cannon of two of the 
" enemy's towers built in the line, the Castle of St. Phillip 
"capitulated in the latter end of October. The whole 
" Island, at our landing, declared for King Charles, and after 
"having been three months in regulating the Artillery, I 
" returned back to Catalonia in the month of February, 
" 1708-9. 

1709. " Marched with the Artillery to Villa Nova de la 
" Barkia, on the River Segra, where I bombarded for some 
" days the enemy's Army, and after our Army had passed 
" the river, they took the town Balaguar, after two days' 
" siege, by capitulation. 

1710. "In the month of July I was at the Battle of 
"Ahnenar, where our Army in less than two hours beat 
" the enemy and encamped in the place of the field of battle 
" for some days." .... " From the camp at Almenar we 
" marched to besiege the Castle Moncon. We possessed our- 
" selves the first night of one of the enemy's works that 
"covered their bridge laid over the Cuica river, and con- 
" tinned there some days, and at last was obliged to leave 






Chap. VIII. In the English Service. 95 

" the place." .... "In August, marched from thence 
"and passed the said river near Traga in pursuit of the 
" enemy to the place of Saragoso, where we fought a battle 
on the 20th August, got a compleat victory, and took the 
greatest part of the enemy's Artillery. Here I received 
" four wounds, and had upwards of eighty men killed and 
"wounded on my battery, and above 300 Artillery mules 
"hamstringed. From this place our Army pursued the 
" enemy, and marched to Madrid, which declared a second 
" time for King Charles. Two months after, I was carried 
"thither, and from thence ordered to Toledo to put that 
" Artillery, &c., we had taken from the enemy in order ; and 
" after some days' stay was ordered to destroy the said Artil- 
"lery, and march to joyn part of the Army in camp at 
"St. Jonne, from whence we marched in the month of 
" December, and joyned the whole Army near Villa Viciosa, 
" where we fought a battle the 10th December with the loss 
" of all our Artillery, and were obliged to retreat into the 
" Kingdom of Arragon. I was wounded with a cannon-shot 
in my left leg, lost all my baggage, and was taken prisoner 

in the town of Siguenca. 

1711. "I obtained leave upon my parole to go to Eng- 
" land, to be cured of my wound ; and after my arrival had 
" the good fortune to be exchanged for another Colonel 
" belonging to the enemy. 

1713. " I made pleasure fireworks which were burnt on 
" Biver Thames in the month of August, over against White- 
" hall, on the Thanksgiving Day for the Peace made at 
" Utrecht. 

1715. " In the month of December I was ordered with 
" a train of Artillery to Scotland, and arrived in the month 
" of February in the Firth of Forth by Leith, where I was 
" ordered by His Grace the Duke of Argyle to send the 
" vessells with the Artillery to a place called Innerkithen 
" till further orders, and to march with alLthe officers and 
" Artillery people from Edinburgh to Stirling. At Stirling I 
" was ordered by His Grace to take upon me the command of 
" fifteen pieces of cannon ordered from Edinburgh, &c., for 









96 A /Serf Borgard. Chap. V 1 1 1 . 

** field service, which was in such confusion as cannot be 
" expressed ; part of which Artillery I brought so far as the 
" town of Dundee, where I was ordered to bring the Train 
*' back again to Edinburgh by water. 

1716. " In the month of March I was ordered by General 
" Cadogan, in His Grace the Duke of Argyle's absence, to 
" send the vessells with the Artillery back again to London, 
" and the Train people to march from thence. On our 
" arrivall at London, I was ordered by the Board of Ord- 
nance to lay before them tables and draughts of all natures 
of brass and iron cannon, mortars, &c., which was done 

" accordingly and approved of. After the said draughts, 
" two 24-pounder brass cannon were ordered to be cast by 
" Mr. Bagley in his Foundry at Windmill Hill, at the casting 
** of which I was ordered to be present. In the founding, 
" the metal of one of the gunns blow'd into the air, burnt 
" many of the spectators, of which seventeen dy*d out of 
" twenty-five persons, and myself received four wounds. 

1717, 1718. " The Board came to a resolution to regulate 
" what was wanting to compleat a compleat Artillery for 
" sea and land service. I had an order to lay before them 
" draughts of all natures of carriages, wheejs, trucks, grapes, 
'^ and matted shot, and all sorts of bombs both great and 
" small for land and sea service, with a great many other 
" things relating to an Artillery too tedious to mention, 
" which they approved of. I likewise laid before the Board 
" the ill-state of the Laboratory, which the Board order'd 
''me to put in some better order, and to be at as little 
" expence as possible, which I did accordingly. 

1719. " I was ordered on the expedition to Vigo, which 
" place I bombarded with forty-six great and small mortars 
" of my own projection, which answered their intended end, 
** of which my Lord Gobham, and the rest of the generall 
" officers can give a better account than myself, by which 
** bombardment the Castle of Vigo was obliged in the month 
" of October to surrender. 

1720 to 1722. " I attended the Service, as formerly, at 
^' all surveys, &c., relating to the Artillery till such time 



Chap. VIII. In the English Service. 97 

" Colonel Armstrong was made Surveyor, after which time, 
'' notwithstanding His Majesty's signification to me for regu- 
lating the Artillery for sea and land service, I was never 
consulted in anything relating to the said service. 
His late Majesty was graciously pleased to renew my 
'' old commission as Colonel, and to give me the command of 
the Segiment of Artillery established for His service, con- 
sisting of four companys." ^ 



u 

I 



» N.B. — It was not until November, 1727, that these four companies were 
fully completed. They were, however, decided upon at the date referred, 
to in Colonel Borgard's diary. 



VOL. I. "a 



98 



Albert Barnard. 



Chap. VIII 



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Chap. VIII. Sieges he was present at. 



99 



ABSTRACT OF ALL THE SIEGES 
Lieut.-Genebal Borqabd hoA been present at from the year 1675. 



Yemr. No. 



1675 



1676 




1692 
1694 
1695 

1702! 

1705 

1706^ 
1708 

1709 
1719 



1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 



22 
23 



The Town of Wismar, in Mecklenburg. 

The Castle of Helsinburg, in Scbonen. 

The Town and Castle of Landskroon, in SchoneD. 

The Town of Cbristianstadt, in Scbonen. 

The Town of Mastraud and Castles, in Norway. 

The Town of Niewbensell, in Hungary. 

The Town and Castle of Buda, in Hungaiy. 

The Town of Haminie Podolski, in Poland. 

The Town of Keyserwart, on the Rhine. 

The Town of Bonn, on the llhine : two slight Wounds. 

The Town of Mentz, on the Rhine. 

The Town and Castle of Namur, taken by the French. 

The Town and Castle of Huy. 

The Town and Castle of Namur, retaken by King William. 

Fort St. Catherine, near Cadiz. Bombarded and took. 

Fort Malagar, near Cadiz. Bombarded. 

Fort Duran, near Vigo. Bombanled. 

The Town and Castle of Valencia d*Aicantra. Wounded. 

The Town of Ciudad Rodrigo. 

The Town of Alcantra. Slight Wound. 

Fort St. Philip's, in Minorca. 

Bombarded the enemy's camp at Villa Nova de la Barkea, in 
Catalonia. 

The Town of Balaguer, in Catalonia. 

Bombarded the Castle at Vigo, which surrendered after some 
days' bombardment. 



u^ 



lOO 



Albert Borgard. 



Chap. VIII 



ABSTRACT OF THE BATTLES 



Lieut.-General Borgard ^os hten present at from the year 1675. 



Year. No. 



1676 



I 



1677 

1678 
1683 
1685 
1688 
1689 
1091 
1692 
1693 
1705 
1706 
1707 

1710 
1715 



I 



I 



1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 

7 _ 

8 I 

9| 
I 

10 
11 
12 
13 
14 




Oeland, in the Baltic. 

Halmstadt, in Holland. 

Lund, in Schonen. 

Ronneberg, near Landskroon. 

Oddewall, in Norway. 

Whitlow, in the Isle of Ruggen, on the Baltic. 

Vienna. 

Graun, in Hungary. 

Budjack, in Tartary. 

Neya, near Diisseldorp. 

Salankeman, in Sclavonia, Wounded. 

Stemkirk, in Brabant. 

Keerhespe, or Landeu, in Brabant. 

Brozus, in Spain. 

Cannonaded the enemy at Guadraca, in Spain. 

Almanza, in Spain. Here I lost my baggage. 

Almenar, in Spain. 

Saragosa, in Spain. Three wounds. 

Villa Viciosa, in Spain. Here I was wounded, lost my 
biggage, and was taken prisoner. 

Went on the Expedition to North Britain. 



( loi ) 



CHAPTER IX. 

Twenty Years. 1722—1741. 

^TWENTY years, during which Englishmen made no 
conquests ; but during" which they had " peace, ease, 
"and freedom; the Three per Cents, nearly at par; and 
" wheat at five- and six-and-twenty shillings a quarter."* 

Twenty years, during which England's army did not 
exceed 26,000 men ; when there was actually a war of 
succession in Europe, and our rulers did not interfere ; during 
which our King could go to Hanoyer for a couple of years, 
and the coach of the State move on steadily and without 
interruption in his absence,^ and during which our only 
alarms of war were two in number, and speedily disappeared. 

It was a fayourable childhood for the Begiment ; it gave 
time for the old establishments to dwindle away, and the 
new one to acquire consistency and strength with the funds 
which thus became available at the Ordnance ; instruction to 
officers and men could be deliberately and systematically 
given ; discipline could be learnt ; the fortifications could be 
armed ; and the defects of the original scheme of organiza- 
tion in the Begiment could be ascertained and quietly 
remedied, instead of being more rudely exposed in time of 
war. 

Only three events occurred between 1722 and 1741, which 
are worthy of comment ; but there are details connected with 
the every-day life of the Boyal Artillery during that period, 
which, though unworthy of being called events, yet cannot 
but be interesting to the student. 

The first was the camp at Hyde Park, in 1723, which was 
attended by a train of Artillery. 



^ Thackeray. 



I02 Twenty Years — 1722-1741. Chap. IX. 

The second was in 1727, when the Spaniards laid siege to 
Gibraltar ; a siege, however, which only lasted four months. 

The third was in the same year, when the States-General 
of Holland, becoming nervous lest an attempt should be made 
on the Netherlands, called upon England to hold in readiness 
the contingent of 10,000, which she was bound by treaty 
to furnish, if required. For this, a train of Artillery was 
ordered to be prepared, and although not required, pacific 
counsels having prevailed in Europe, its constitution is 
worthy of mention. 

In the camp at Hyde Park, held the year after the Regi- 
ment obtained its Colonel, probably for the amusement of the 
Londoners, there was a train of Artillery of twenty pieces 
of Ordnance, comprising two 6-pounders, four 3-pounders, 
and fourteen IJ-pounders. This battery was horsed by 
seventy-six horses, but the detail to the various natures of 
Ordnance cannot be traced. The ofiicers and men attached 
to the battery were as follows: 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 
1 fireworker, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals and bombardiers, 20 
gunners, 40 matrosses, and two drummers. 

The Infantry was called upon to furnish a guard over the 
guns when parked, of twenty-five men. Six regiments of 
Dragoons, and twelve of Infantry of the Line, attended the 
camp. 

In 1727, the bad feeling, which had for some time existed 
between England and Spain, produced an open rupture. A 
force of 20,000 Spaniards besieged Gibraltar, opening their 
trenches on the 11th of February. By means of reinforce- 
ments from England and Minorca, the garrison was increased 
to 6000 men, and the bomb-vessels, which were sent from 
England and from other p^rts of the Mediterranean, rendered 
great assistance by enfilading the enemy's entrenchments. 
The siege was raised on the 23rd June, having only lasted four 
months, during which time the Spanish loss had been great, 
while that of the English had been inconsiderable. With 
the reinforcements from England had come some guns and 
stores, which assisted to make the fort more easily defended, 
its previous armament having been but indifierent. Colonel 



Chap. IX. Train hiteudcd for Flanders. 103 

Jonas Watson commanded the Eoyal Artillery during the 
siege, having arrived for that purpose from England, ac- 
companied by Captain Hughes and some young officers. The 
force under his command was two hundred in number. 
The only Artillery officer killed during the siege was Captain- 
Lieutenant Holman. 

In this the first defensive operation in which the Royal 
Regiment of Artillery was engaged — as in its first offensive 
at Vigo — it was on the successful side. And in both cases, 
it not merely represented, but it was the principal arm 
of the English forces. The next event, the third proposed 
to be chronicled, took place in the same year. The train 
which it was deemed probable would have to proceed to 
Flanders was for field, not garrison service. It comprised 
four 6-pounders, twelve 3-pounders, and eight IJ-pounders. 
There were also six Royal mortars to be provided. A com- 
plete company of Artillery — with the exception of the cadets 
of the company, and nine of its bombardiers — attended the 
train, and 12 artificers and 22 pontoon-men, under a bridge- 
master, were also ordered to accompany it. Conductors and 
commissaries were also included. Unless, however, it was 
proposed to enlist foreign Artillerymen into the British 
service, on landing in the Continent, — the staff of the train 
seems certainly excessive. 

For a total of 140 of all ranks — smaller than a single 
battery now — the following staff was detailed : 1 colonel, 
1 comptroller, 1 paymaster, 1 adjutant, 1 chaplain, 1 quarter- 
master, 1 commissary of stores, 1 waggon master, 1 surgeon, 
1 assistant-surgeon, 1 assistant provost-marshal, 1 kettle- 
drummer and his coachman. 

These, then, were the three military events of most note 
during the twenty years ending in 1741 ; and they are cer- 
tainly not such as to affect the peaceable reputation of the 
period. An unhappy expedition to the West Indies, under 
Lord Cathcart, was ordered in 1741, but as it was not com- 
pleted until later, it can be alluded to more fully in a 
succeeding chapter. 

But the domestic life of the Eegimcut during this time 



104 Twenty Years — 1722-1741. Chap. IX. 

requires description. The rank of Captain-Lieutenant had 
been introduced in 1720, and the third and fourth Lieutenant 
of a company were called Lieutenants and Fireworkers, the 
conjunction being speedily dropped. The strength of a com- 
pany was during this period as follows : — 

Captain. 3 Sergeants. 43 Matrosses. ) 

Captain- Lieu tennnt. 3 Corporals. 5 Cadet-Mat rosses. ) 

F'irht Lieutenant. 12 Bombardiers. 2 Drummers. 

2 Second Lieutenants. 25 Gunners. | 

4 Fireworkers. 5 Cadet-Gunners, f 

The annual pay of each company amounted to 29567. lOs. 

It was in 1727, that the Regiment was increased to four 
complete companies. The siege of Gibraltar suggested an 
augmentation which the declining numbers on the old esta- 
blishment admitted of the Board carrying out. On this 
taking place, the staflf requisite for the Regiment was added, 
and Colonel Borgard was styled Colonel-Commandant. 

The staff consisted, in addition to the Colonel, of ^ Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel — Jonas Watson; a Major —William Bousfield; 
an Adjutant, a Quartermaster, and a Bridge-Master. To 
meet the demand for the more scientific element in the new 
companies, one Second Lieutenant and one Fireworker per 
company were transferred from the old, and the number of 
bombardiers and gunners in each reduced to eight and twenty 
respectively. The matrosses, as being more easily obtained, 
and requiring less special training, were increased to sixty- 
four per company ; and from this time vacancies among the 
gunners were filled by the most deserving matrosses. 

The large number of junior officers and of bombardiers 
in each company was intended to meet the demands of the 
bomb-service, which even in this peaceable time were very 
heavy : more especially for the bomb-vessels in the Mediter- 
ranean. It created, however, an evil which must always be 
found in a profession where the junior ranks so greatly out- 
number the senior, and where the prizes are so few, while the 
candidates are many ; — the evil of slow promotion and even 
stagnation, and in their wake, discontent, loss of zeal, and, at 
last, indifference. So soon did this manifest itself, that by 



Chap. IX. Augmentation of the Regiment. 105 

reducing the number of junior officers, and increasing that of 
the seniors, it has been repeatedly attempted to remedy it ; 
the last attempt being so recent as during the tenancy of the 
present Secretary of State for War— Mr. Cardwell. But this 
remedy has its limits. There are duties to be performed 
suitable only to inferior military rank, and the performance 
of which, by senior officers, would have the effect of degrad- 
ing the rank to which they may have attained. A consider- 
able proportion of an army's officers, therefore, must always 
hold inferior military rank ; but whether the evil which 
accompanies stagnation in their ranks is to be remedied by 
increase of pay in proportion to service, or by enforced re- 
tirement in the upper ranks, is one of those questions which 
it is not for the historian to argue. 

The Captains of the four companies of the Eegiment after 
the augmentation were 

Captain James Eichards, 
„ Thomas Hughes, 
„ James Deal, 
and „ Thomas Pattison. 

The first-mentioned two were at Woolwich with their 
companies, although compelled to furnish detachments for 
Scotland and the bombs; the third was at Gibraltar, and 
the fourth in Minorca. Special establishments still existed 
for Annapolis and Placentia. The pay per diem of an Artil- 
lery Captain was 10a. 

It was in Minorca that the question of the military pre- 
cedence of Artillery officers was first authoritatively settled. 
The officers of the four Infantry Kegiments stationed there 
having refused to sit on courts-martial on the same terms as 
the officers of the train, the matter was referred to England, 
and by order of the King the Secretary at War informed the 
commatfdant at Port Mahon that whenever any of the Artil- 
lery were being tried, the officers of the train were to sit and 
vote with other officers of the Army, according to the dates 
of their commissions. 

The objection taken by the Infantry officers was doubtless 
based on the fact that until 1751 the commissions of Artillery 



io6 Tiventy Years — 1722-1741. Chap. ix. 

officers under the rank of field officer were signed by the 
Master-General, not by the King. This decision, however, 
settled the point effectually ; and ten years later there is a 
record of the trial by court-martial in London of a deserter 
from the Artillery in which all the members of the Court 
were officers of the Guards, and the president belonged to 
the Artillery. 

Among the places which were supplied with additional 
armament during this time of rest were Berwick, Plymouth, 
Portsmouth, and Hull, but the charge of the Ordnance and 
Stores still remained in the hands of the master-gunners 
and gunners of Garrisons, numbering at this time respectiyely 
41 and 178. The value of these officials may be estimated 
by a description of certain accepted candidates for the ap- 
pointment in 1725, who were " superannuated and disabled 
" gunners, who have served long and well, and being too 
"feeble for active service, are subsisted until they can be 
" placed in the garrisons." 

An augmentation to the companies was commenced in 1739, 
but not completed until the following year, when one new 
company was raised ; the strength of the companies at home 
being increased to 150, and of those at Minorca and Gibraltar 
to 100. It was 1741 before the distribution of the companies 
at home was finally arranged ; for it was found necessary to 
divide the three into four, for purposes of relief and detach- 
ment. At this time, — the end of the twenty years, the 
strength of the Begiment at home, in addition to the com- 
panies abroad, amounted to thirty-five officers, eighty non- 
commissioned officers, of whom fifty-six were bombardiers, 
twenty miners, ninety-two gunners, thirty-two pontoon-men, 
184 matrosses, and eight drummers. 

There were also sixteen cadet-gunners, and sixteen cadet- 
matrosses, the number in each of the four home companies 
having been reduced to four. It was from the cadets that the 
lieutenant-fireworkers were generally, although not always, 
chosen. The employment of officers of that rank on board 
the bomb-vessels without superior officers above them ren- 
dered it necessary often to promote non-commissioned officers, 



Chap. IX. Remarks on the Muster-rolls, 107 

whose experience would enable them to carry on snch an 
independent service, better than the young and inexperienced 
fireworkers, just promoted from among the cadets. The 
discipline among these young gentlemen may be gathered 
from the marginal remarks of the commanding officer on 
the muster-rolls of the two companies at Woolwich in 1739. 
After alluding to one officer as having been lame for six 
months, and to another as having lost his memory, and 
done no duty for seven years, he comes to the cadets of the 
companies. Out of the whole number of sixteen, there is a 
remark against the names of no less than nine, '^ I know not 
"where they are," and against another, "A very idle fellow!" 
The remaining six were detached, two at Portsmouth, one in 
the Tower, one on board the bombs, and only two at Wool- 
wich. 

There is in the same list a remark made against the name 
of one, Captain-Lieutenant George Minnies, which might 
justly have been made against others of the same rank in 
later days, if indeed it may not also have to be made again, 
" old and worn-out in the service." 

The end of this period brings us near to that time when 
the Begiment, having quitted the nursery, so to speak, 
entered the school of war, which was provided for it in 
Flanders. Before, however, tracing its story then, it will 
be well to describe some little matters connected with the 
foundation and early history of an institution which was 
founded in 1741, the last of our twenty years, to meet a 
want, which the above comments of the commanding officer 
must prove most distinctly to have existed. 



( io8 ) 



CHAPTER X. 

Foundation of the Koyal Militaby Academy. 

Ij^KOM what was mentioned in the last chapter, it will be 
^ seen that there' were cadets long before there was an 
Academy. Although, however, this institution is of a date 
so long posterior to the formation of the Eegiment, and 
although by many of the practical officers serving when 
it was founded, who had acquired their knowledge in the 
school of experience, it was looked upon very coldly, as a 
useless and undesirable innovation, — yet no History of the 
Koyal Artillery would be copaplete without some reference 
to its early days. For, although often mismanaged, and even 
now almost paralysed as an Artillery school by the marvellous 
arrangement under which the best Artillery scholars are 
invited to join the Koyal Engineers, it has yet acquired such 
a hold upon the affections of those who have been there, 
as to ensure it a prominent place among our Kegimental 
.Kecords. 

The warrant founding the Academy was issued in 1741. 
The cadets then in the Kegiment were to be instructed there, 
but not these only; it was to be available for the professional 
education of all " the raw and inexperienced people belonging 
** to the military branch of the Ordnance." At first, the 
sum proposed to be voted annually for its support was merely 
500/., but this was almost immediately doubled, and before 
1771 it had reached 1364Z. 148. From the very first the 
practical and theoretical schools were distinct. The former 
was attended not merely by the cadets, but also by all 
officers and men off duty ; the latter by all above the rank of 
bombardier, as well as any below that rank who had evinced 
any special talent, or capacity for study. In the Theoretical 
School, pure and mixed mathematics were taught; in the 



Chap. X. The Education there given, 109 

Practical School, the various gnn drills, fortification, labora- 
tory duties, &c. Once a year there was performed before 
the Master-General, or his lientenant, '' a great and solemn 
''exercise of Artillery, in which exercise those who were 
"best advanced in the several classes shot with difi'erent 
" pieces of Ordnance at several marks according to their 
" different proficiencies, or produced some other specimen of 
" their diligence and application in their study of fortifi- 
" cation, drawing, &c., when he who best distinguished 
" himself in each class was presented with some prize of 
"honour — if an engineer, officer, or cadet — or some pecu- 
" niary premium, if a private man, as an encouragement." 

It will thus be seen that from the earliest days there was 
no finality in the education acquired by a cadet at the Aca- 
demy. His training was not supposed to cease when he was 
commissioned. It is well to remember this at a time when 
there are not wanting men to decry the continuous educa- 
tion of Artillery officers, and to express perfect contentment 
with the amount of Artillery education obtained at the 
Academy. 

Probably these very men who deem Artillery an exact and 
finite science to be mastered by a boy in his teens, would be 
the first to protest against the id^a that a man could master 
the intricacies of the stable, without many years of progres- 
sive and practical experience. Chemistry as applied to the ser- 
vice of Ordnance, dynamics, metallurgy, might be sufficiently 
conquered at the Academy, or might be conscientiously dis- 
pensed with, but the perambulation of a horse infirmary might 
go on for a lifetime, and yet a man's education be incomplete. 

The best friend to his corps is the man who denies and 
scorns such a theory. National predilections have made 
and will continue to make the horsing of the English Artil- 
lery the best in the world, but the gun must not be lost 
sight of in devotion to the horse. And this once recognized, 
from that moment an Artilleryman, to be conscientious and 
progressive, must be studious. At the altar of science he 
should be the most regular votary ; for gunnery, to bo per- 
fect, draws incessantly and largely upon science. 



I lo Foundaiio7i of Royal Military Academy, Chap. X, 

In the early days of the Eegiment, an officer might master 
in a short time the requisite details for working his gnns. 
In the present day, an Artilleryman is unworthy who fails 
to watch every scientific advance which may increase the 
power of his weapons, and raise the tone of his corps. And 
to enable the officers of the Eegiment to do their duty in 
this respect, uo effort for continued exertion and study should 
be spared ; mutual interchange of ideas should be fostered ; 
and the main use of Artillery as an arm should not be con- 
cealed behind a veil of pipeclay and harness-polish. The 
merits which these last-named agents are calculated to 
foster will come almost spontaneously : it is the study of the 
higher uses, and of the scientific progress of Artillery over 
the world, which requires persuasion and encouragement. 

The Academy, as we have said, was founded in 1741. Not 
until four years later was the cadet company formed. During 
the interval, as before the institution of the Academy, the 
cadets were under no discipline worthy of the name; they 
wore no uniform, and were so outrageous in study, that one 
of the occupations of the officer on duty in the Warren was 
occasionally to visit the Academy, and prevent the masters 
from being ill-used, and even pelted. When, in June 1744, 
the Eegiment was inspected by the Duke of Cumberland, a 
disorderly mob, without officers, or even uniform, drawn up 
on the right of the line, represented the cadets of the Eoyal 
Artillery. Let no man say that ceremonial inspections 
are useless. Defects, which are not apparent in every-day 
life, stare one in the face, as one stands behind the individual 
whose office it is to criticise. The readiest critic is he who is 
most interested on such an occasion. He is not the most 
demonstrative ; he is glad beyond measure if the blot escapes 
the inspecting eye ; but he remembers. And to such a man 
remembrance means remedy. Next January, the cadets were 
no longer a mob ; they were no longer unofficered : they were 
clothed, but they were not yet in their right mind. 

It may be said of the Cadets of the olden time, that they 
were veritable sons of Ishmael ; their hands were against 
every man, and every man's hand against them. They were 



Chap. X. Its early Managcfuait. 1 1 1 

the parents of their own legislation; a priori law-making 
was unknown ; and not a statute was passed that had not 
been anticipated by the offence it was intended to curb. 
The cadets' ingenuity in evading detection was equalled by 
their talent in inventing new methods of annoyance. This 
talent was too often aided by the connivance of the newly- 
commissioned officers, whose sympathies were more with the 
law-breakers they had left than the law-insisters they had 
joined. Hence came threats fulminated against an intimacy 
between cadets and young officers, which made such inter- 
course all the sweeter ; nor was it effectually put an end to 
until the Academy was removed from the Barracks in the 
Warren to a secluded spot at the foot of Shooter's Hill, 
The extreme youth of the cadets in the earlier days of the 
Academy, coupled with the very different views then in 
vogue as to educational discipline, produced a system of 
government which was harsh and penal. The Boyal Military 
Academy has gone through two stages — the era of stern 
restriction, and that of comparative liberty. The swing of 
the pendulum is as certain in military as in civil life. From 
the days of black holes and bullying, the reaction to liberty, 
confidence in a cadet's honour, thoughtfulness for his com- 
fort, and a system of punishment not degrading nor unsuited 
to his age, were inevitable, and have come. So far, indeed, has 
the pendulum swung, that the young officer must occasionally 
^Ipok back with regret on the greater comfort and the absence 
of responsibility which were characteristic of the older life. 
The absence of degrading punishments has been brought 
about, in great part, by the system of competition for cadet- 
ships, which, commencing with the practical class in 1855, 
has now for many years been universal. Young men from 
public schools, or from private tutors under whom they had 
to study propria moiUy and without the spur of discipline, 
could not be submitted to the same restraints as the mere 
boys who were cadets in the earlier days of the Academy. 
Nor does their absence lessen the sense of discipline which is 
necessary in a military body. The sympathy of numbers is 
the strongest wall against which a recalcitrant member can 



1 12 Foundation of Royal Military Academy, Chap. X. 

dash his head, and the result to the head is proyerbial. And 
among educated youth, past the stage of mere boyhood, 
reasonable restraint and discipline can always be enforced 
with full confidence in the support of the governed. 

The extreme youth of the cadets, in the early Academy 
days, is the key to the many ludicrous laws and anecdotes 
which have come down. For many years the average age of 
the cadets was between twelve and fourteen years, and old 
heads cannot be expected on young shoulders. As a matter 
of fact, old heads were not to be found ; and the history of 
the Academy, over a hundred years ago, is one of the most 
comic narratives which can be perused. The incessant war 
going on between the Gulliver of authority and the Lillipu- 
tians of defiance, who so frequently got poor Gulliver on his 
back, — the laughable use of unaccustomed power by cadet cor- 
porals, bewildered by their position, — and the grandiloquent 
appeals of Governor after Governor to the feelings of rebel- 
lious youth, all combine to make up a rare picture. We 
meet threats against cadets who shall pass an ofificer without 
pulling off their hats, or who shall stay away from church, 
or shall play during the hours of study. So fond were the 
boys of bathing, more especially after it had been forbidden, 
that no punishment could deter them, until ingenious 
authority decided that any cadet found swimming in the 
Thames should be taken out and carried naked to the 
guard-room. Special punishments were devised for those 
who should wear officers' uniforms for the purpose of 
getting past the guard at the Warren gate, and for those 
who should break out over the wall after tattoo, or 
spoil the furniture, or write upon the walls. Nor is it 
merely the extreme youth of the cadets which is revealed 
by these orders; it is their incessant repetition, month after 
month, day after day, that makes the student detect the 
utter want of discipline that existed. A record remains of 
a cadet who was expelled for striking and maltreating 
another on parade, in presence of an officer, and " refusing 
** to make any concession, although urged to do so by the 
"Lieutenant-Governor." Two others are described in an 



Chap. X. Rules and Regtdations. 1 1 3 

official report as " scabby sheep, whom neither lenity will 
" improve, nor confinement to a dark room and being fed on 
"bread and water." These two, having openly displayed 
contempt of orders and defiance of authority, were dismissed 
ultimately from the Academy. Another, on whom the same 
penalty of expulsion fell, rather checkmated the authorities 
by taking with him his cadet's uniform and warrant, which 
enabled him to create such disturbances in the town of 
Woolwich, that he had to be threatened with the civil power 
if he did not give up the one and discontinue wearing the 
other. 

But in the orders which it was found necessary to issue 
can be read most succinctly the account of life among the 
earlier cadets. 

" The Gentlemen Cadets are now strictly forbid to cut or 
'' carve their names, or initial letters of names, on any 

"part of their desks, or any way to spoil them 

" They are not to spoil their own locks, or those of any other 
"Gentlemen Cadets, by attempting to open them with 

"wrong keys The Lieutenant-Governor expects 

" that henceforward no Gentleman Cadet will be guilty 
" of ever attempting to open or spoil any of the desks 
" or drawers of the Inspectors, Professors, or Masters, or of 
" any other Cadet, or even attempt to take anything out of 
" them under the name of mumching^ as thej may be fully 
" assured such base and vile crimes will be pardoned no more. 
" The Gentlemen Cadets are, likewise, forbid from leaping 
upon or running over the desks with their feet ; and the 
Corporals are expected, not only to keep a watchful eye 
to prevent any disorder in the Academy, but, by their own 
" good behaviour, to set an example to others." 

Shortly ofter this order a remonstrance is published, 
arguing that "the cadets have been guilty of a habit of 
"making a continued noise, and going about greatly dis- 
" turbing the Masters in their teaching ; also, when the 
" Academy ends, by shutting their desks with violence, and 
" running out of the Academy hallooing, shouting, and 
" making such a scene of riot and dissipation, greatly unbe- 

VOL. I. \ 









114 Foundation of Royal Military Academy. Chap. X. 

" coming a Seminary of learning, and far beneath the name 
" of a Gentleman Cadet ; and, lastly, during the hours of 
" dancing, several of the Under Academy, whose names are 
'' well known, behaye at present in so unpardonable a manner 
'' when dancing, by pulling, and hauling, and stamping, that 
"the Master is thereby preyented from teaching. Hence 
" the Lieutenant-Goyernor assures the gentlemen that those, 
"who are anyways found guilty of such conduct for the 
" future will be immediately sent to the Barracks, and 
" receive such corporal punishment as their crimes deserve." 

Yet again in stately language, it is reported that "it 
" had come to the ears of the Lieutenant-Governor that of 
" late the Corporals have inflicted a mode of punishment 
" entirely inconsistent with the Bules and Regulations of the 

Academy — namely, that of making the Gentlemen kneel 

down on both knees, with uplifted hands, in the attitude 
"of prayer; at other times placing them in painful and 
" ridiculous postures, rather tending to excite laughter than 
" to inflict punishment. The Lieutenant-Governor hence- 
" forward forbids all such modes of proceeding, as also that 
" of striking the Cadets. On the contrary, when any Cadet 
" is thought deserving of punishment, the Corporals may 
" order them to stand sentinel, or report them to the Master 
" on duty, or, with his leave, march them to the Barracks, 
" and report them to the Commanding Officer in writing, 
" who may punish them according to their crimes. On the 
" other hand, the Lieutenant-Governor expects the Gentle- 
" men Cadets to obey the Corporal's commands equally the 
" same as any other superior officer, subordination being the 
" most essential part of military duty. Lastly, the Lieu- 
'' tenant-Governor expresses the highest satisfaction in the 
" genteel behaviour of the Company during the hours of 
" dancing, in a great measure owing to the care of the pre- 
" sent Corporals." 

These extracts are sufficient proof of the youth and unruly 
habits of the earlier cadets. Courts-martial among them 
were far from uncommon ; and cases of disturbance worthy 
of the name of mutiny are also recorded. Yet, in the very 



Chap. X. Utility of tJie Institution, 115 

earliest days of the Academy, oflScers joined the Kegiment 
who entered with snch spirit and zeal into their duties, that 
they called forth special commendation from their command- 
ing officers. In Flanders, in 1747 and 1748, Colonel Belford 
and Major Michelson warmly acknowledged the assistance 
they received from the young officers in their arduous 
attempts to impart to the Artillery Train a more military 
appearance than had hitherto distinguished it. And when, 
some years later, we find this yery Colonel Belford protesting 
against the officers who joined from the Academy, and wishing 
that Institution were '' detached as a Bepository for Captain 
" Congreve's curiosities, and that a number of fine young 
" fellows were appointed as Cadets to every Battalion, and 
" such as were fit for every duty to go upon all commands,'* 
we must bear in mind that, so great had the demand for 
officers been in the years immediately preceding his com- 
plaint, that the cadets had hardly any time to spend at the 
Academy — three or four months only being far from unusual, 
and, therefore, that the fault lay not so much in the system 
as in its neglect. A lad of eighteen years of age will be able 
to acquire even discipline in a very short time, because he is 
able to understand its necessity, and he soon becomes a crea- 
ture of habit in this as in other matters. But a boy is always, 
either from restlessness or mischief, chafing against restraint, 
and takes longer time to subdue. The extreme youth of the 
earlier cadets prevents surprise at the ludicrous state of dis- 
cipline which prevailed, and creates wonder that the officers 
who joined so young, after such a training, were so good as 
they proved. If the truth were known, we should, doubtless, 
find that, while their intellectual training commenced at the 
Academy, their real discipline did not commence until they 
joined the Regiment. 

Not merely did the exigencies of the service curtail the 
stay of the earlier cadets at the Academy, but the abuses 
and jobbery which were rife in the last century rendered it 
possible for cadets to be at the Academy without any pre- 
vious education at all. With a proclamation hanging on 
the wall that the Institution was created for toacliing the 



ii6 Foundation of Royal Military Academy. Chap. X. 

^' Mathematicks/' we find piteous Masters protesting against 
the presence of cadets who could neither read nor write. 
There were cadets, — not in the Academy, but away in their 
homes, — drawing pay as such almost from their cradle ; and 
not until the Academy had been a considerable time in 
existence was this abuse put an end to. Before the formation 
of the Company of Cadets, the pay of a Cadet Gunner was 
l8. 4d. per diem ; that of a Cadet Matross was la. When 
the company was formed, all cadets receiyed the higher rate ; 
and ultimately, although not until twenty years had passed, 
the pay was raised to 28. &d. When enrolled in a company, 
military duties were expected of them which were never dreamt 
of before : they carried arms, and mounted guard, the post 
where the cadet-sentry was placed being generally over the 
commanding officer's quarters. The officers of the company 
— in addition to the Master-General, who was its captain — 
were a Captain-Lieutenant, whose daily pay was 1/. 3a. 6i. ; 
a First Lieutenant, with bs. ; a Second Lieutenant, with 48. ; 
and a Fireworker, with 3«. But it was not for some time 
after its formation that the officers of the company were 
borne as supernumeraries in the Begiment. A Drum-major 
was also on the strength of the company. 

The number of cadets in the company, which had been 
almost immediately increased from forty to forty-eight, 
varied with the demands on the Academy during different 
wars. At the end of last century, and the beginning of the 
present, so heavy were the wants of the Begiment, and of 
the East India Company's service, that accommodation for 
cadets had to be sought for in the various private schools in 
Woolwich and its vicinity, and even in the Military College 
at Marlow. With the opening of the new Academy in 1806 
this necessity gradually disappeared, the Government accom- 
modation being sufficient. 

Besides the cadets of the company, the Academy was 
attended by supernumeraries in the earlier days, who were 
permitted to study there pending vacancies. Certain students, 
also known as gentlemen attendants, who did not meditate 
joining the Army, but attended for general education, were 



Chap. X. The Academy Masters. 117 

permitted to avail themselves of the services of the Academy 
Masters by paying the annnal sum of thirty guineas. 
Classics were taught as well as mathematics, at the schools 
in the Warren ; and, in fact, Woolwich was used by these 
gentlemen attendants, much as West Point is used in America 
by students who recognize the value of the education im- 
parted there, but do not contemplate entering the military 
profession. 

This suggests allusion to the Academy Masters in the 
olden time. It must be admitted that, in point of discipline 
and obedience to authority, the example set by the Masters 
to the pupils was far from beneficial. They resented military 
interference. They brooded over real and fancied slights. 
They absented themselves without permission ; and their 
letters to the Lieutenant-Governor were not unfrequently 
impertinent. The case was at one time serious. But 
'^ Gustodes quis custodiet ipsos ? " At last a man was found 
to bell the cat; a man of whom we shall hear again — who 
was Lieutenant-Governor in 1776, before going to command 
the Artillery in America — James Pattison. A letter which 
he addressed to the Mathematical Masters on the 1st April, 
1777, shows the line he adopted ; and tells the whole story 
without any explanation being necessary. 

" Gentlemen, — I have received your letter of 27th March, 
" and the reply I have at present to make to it is principally 
"to correct two essential mistakes contained in the four 
"lines which compose the letter. You say, that at my 
" requesty you have subjoined your opinion on the mode of 
" education in the Academy, and desire me to present it to 
" the Master-General in your names. 

" The case in my manner of stating it is this. I signified 
" to you the Master-General's being not well pleased at the 
slow progress made by the Gentlemen Cadets in the Mathe- 
matics, and asked if you thought there was room for any 
" beneficial alteration in the method of teaching in your de- 
" partment. Upon which you expressed great discontent at 
" the printed rules you are prescribed to teach by, condemn- 









1 1 8 Foundation of Royal Military Academy. Chap. x. 

" ing them as being yery defective and absord, and mentioned 
'^ several amendments you wished might be allowed to take 
" place. I thereupon required^ not requested^ you to repre- 
'' sent them to me in writing, that I might be able to lay 
'^ them, if expedient, before the Master-General ; not mean* 
" ing, as you seem to conceive^ to be merely the porter of 
" them in your names. 

'^ As to the temporary suspension of teaching Latin in the 
" Lower Academy, it being by the Master-General's orders, 
" his lordship will judge how far the manner in which you 
'' think proper to reprobate the measure is becoming. I have 
'^ only to say that, as that branch of learning is not in either 

of your departments, it was no part of my directions to you 

to give an opinion on it. 

" I have, &c., 

" James Pattkon." 

But not merely on matters of public and official import- 
ance did the masters test the patience of the authorities. 
Another letter, also, like the one given above, deposited in 
the Eoyal Artillery Becord Office, gives a glimpse at the 
private worries over which the Academy Masters brooded — 
and which they inflicted on the Lieutenant-Governors. Two 
Professor^ had adjoining quarters in the Warren, adjacent to 
the wall bounding the road to Plumstead, and a long way 
from the Warren gate. From one of these quarters there 
was a communication through the wall to the town — from 
the other there was not. The occupant of the latter dwell- 
ing was, in consequence, a miserable and ill-used man ; it 
was another case of Ahab and Naboth's vineyard — and he 
waxed sick as he thought of his hardship. 

So, appending to his letter an elaborate map of the Warren, 
he addressed the Lieutenant-Governor on the subject, begging 
either for a right of way through his neighbour's house, or 
for a new communication for his own. So quaintly does he 
argue his cause, that his words are reproduced for the amuse- 
ment of the reader. 

" For want of such a ready communication with the town 
" of Woolwich, with regard to my Family, I am subject to 



Chap. X. troubles of the Lieutenant-Governor, 1 19 

•'much inconyenience. For, the way by the gate of the 
'' Warren makes the distance to and from my house so great, 
" that I can't have the necessary provisions brought to me 
" as other people have, by Bakers, Butchers, Milkmen, &c., 
^' without great additional expense, and many not even for 
'* that at any rate. Bo that I am obliged to send my ser- 
^ Wants round about by all that way, on all occasions, to 
'' bring in all things necessary to the Family. This is not 
" the worst of it ; for all kinds of Family necessaries not 
<< being constantly to be bought in the shops in such a place 
" as Woolwich, many things are brought only occasionally 
^' and cried about the streets, when it is matter of no small 
^' grief that such things as may then be much wanted in the 
'^ family can be heard to be cried immediately behind the 
"house, without a possibility of coming at them, but by 
'^ going half a mile round about, when perhaps the servants 
" can be least spared to go, and when they do go, it is ten to 
" one they are disappointed by the crier then being gone 
" quite out of sight and hearing. And besides all this, it is 
" not always that I can prevail on my good and sober female 
" servants to be willing so frequently to go through by the 
" Warren gate, as it is next to an impossibility that such 
" persons can pass so many soldiers as are generally there 
" assembled, without sometimes being subject to rencounters 
" disagreeable to them." 

The Lieutenant-Governor, who had not merely official 
troubles with the Masters to vex him, but had also to listen to 
such harrowing domestic details as those just given, was not 
a man to be envied. Even a hundred years later, as the 
student comes on this plaintive picture, his imagination 
begins to work, and he sees, tearing his hair in his study, 
the ill-fated teacher listening to the well-known cry, just 
over the Warren walls, which told him that some much- 
loved delicacy was there — so near and yet so far. 

These pages, concerning the early days of the Academy, 
suggest the difference between those days and the present. 
And in thoroughly analysing that difference, the feeling 
grows stronger that two changes are inevitable. Inevitable, 



1 20 Foundation of Royal Military Academy. Chap. x. 

because the principle of justice is inyolyed; but difficult 
to bring about speedily, on account of the strength of 
Academy traditions. So long ago as 1792, these traditions 
were strong enough to defeat a scheme for liberalizing 
the scientific officering of the Begiment. Again, in 1855, the 
same traditions urged many to oppose a similar change. 
And yet, as sure as anything can be, the moment that 
the Uniyersities realize that their sons are debarred from 
entering the Artillery and the Engineers, by conditions 
as to age, and by the long technical Academy curriculum, 
from that moment an agitation will commence, which will 
sweep all obstructions away. In the early days of the 
Academy, the cadets acquired all the education they eyer 
had, under its roof; not merely technical, but general. But 
in these later days, the cadet enters the Academy at a more 
adyanced age, and with a sound and liberal education. Is 
it absolutely necessary that he should spend so long a time 
as he does there, on the technical part of his schooling? 
Would not the officers of the corps be of a much higher 
scientific tone, if they spent a longer time at the Uniyersity, 
and a shorter at the Academy ? While admitting the fact 
that from the Academy there haye come officers who haye so 
pressed forward with the great army of Science, that they 
haye become Captains and Generals in its ranks, it would 
be flattery to say that the Academy could eyer be a riyal to 
the Uniyersities, although it might certainly be an honoured 
and useful helpmate. When it is remembered that an 
officer remains for months in a state of professional pupilage 
after he obtains his commission, in addition to the time spent 
at the Academy, the question instinctiyely rises : " Is there 
'^ not a danger of the technical part of education receiying 
" more than its fair share ? " For although it is easy to add 
the technical to the general, it is not easy to reyerse the 
operation ; and in the diyision of a young man's training life, 
which is now made in preparing the officers of the Scientific 
Corps, there is a danger lest we may produce, to a certain 
extent, scientific soldiers ; but not what is also wanted in the 
Artillery of these days— scientific and highly educated men. 



Chap. X. Relationship to the Royal Engineers. 1 2 1 

The other change which must come is in the officering 
from one source, of two corps, which are at once sister and 
rival. At the time the Academy was founded, it was never 
imagined that the small Engineer element then in our 
service was to develope itself into the large regiment which 
now exists. Nor was it ever believed probable, that one of 
the two Scientific Corps would have such pecuniary advan- 
tages over the other, as to tempt many into its ranks who 
might otherwise have been indifferent. But both these 
events having taken place, the Artilleryman, who sees the 
best cadets tempted away every year to the sister corps, may 
with justice ask whether he is not paying somewhat dearly 
for the relationship. Without any violent divorce, there 
must come some friendly separation before many years are 
over ; and it is more likely to be friendly, if the difficulty is 
looked in the face at once, instead of having it urged in 
language of harsh misfortune hereafter. The only way of 
maintaining the present system with justice would be by 
equalizing the pecuniary prospects of officers in both corps ; 
but this would be more difficult than the obvious remedy 
suggested above. At present, the case stands thus : — in 
order that Engineer officers may acquire the amount of 
Artillery education which will be necessary for them here- 
after, they are educated under the same roof with the future 
officers of the Artillery ; and the highest and most accom- 
plished cadets in each class are invited to join the Boyal 
Engineers. This invitation, being backed by parents who 
have a natural eye to their children's future income, is very 
generally accepted. 

In this plain statement of facts, he who runs may read a 
grievance to the Eoyal Artillery, which may develope itself 
into a Begimental, if not a national misfortune. 



( 122 ) 



CHAPTER XL 

A Sterner School. 

rPHE same year which saw the foundation of the Royal 
-*■ Military Academy witnessed the commencement of a 
scyen years* schooling, which was to leave an indelible mark 
on the Begiment. In the West Indies and in Flanders, as 
well as in the disturbances at home in 1745, officers and 
men learnt lessons, and acquired an e^ii de oorpa, to which 
they had hitherto been strangers. It is at once pleasing and 
amusing to read in the old order-books, framed at Woolwich 
during the years between the peace of Aix-la-Ghapelle and 
the commencement of the Seven Years* War, reminders of 
the school of war and discipline represented by the years 
between 1741 and 1748. "The same as we wore in Flan- 
" ders " was a favourite way for describing a particular dress 
for parade. And the word " we " is poetry to the student, 
who is searching for signs of an awakening Regimental 
esprit. 

No history of a Begiment like the Boyal Artillery could 
be compressed into any reasonable dimensions, if every cam- 
paign in which it was engaged were described in details It 
must suffice to sketch the campaigns, but to paint in body 
colours the Artillery's share. The gradual increase of the 
proportion of this arm; the occasions on which it more 
particularly distinguished itself ; the changes in dress and 
equipment ; and the officers whose services in the successive 
campaigns were most conspicuous; these are the details 
which will form the foreground of the Regiment's History. 
But even these are so numerous that most careful sifting will 
be required to prevent the story from becoming wearisome. 

The same year, then, which saw the warrant issued for 
the foundation of the Boyal Military Academy saw also the 



Chap. XI. Expedition to the West Indies. 123 

despatch to the West Indies of one of the most formidable 
expeditions, both in a naval and a military sense, which had 
ever left the shores of England. The squadron consisted of 
115 vessels, well armed and manned, and the troops were 
in number over 12,000. The Eoyal Artillery was com- 
manded by Colonel Jonas Watson — a brave and experienced 
officer, who did not live to tetum to England, being killed 
at the bombardment of Garthagena, — and was divided into 
trains for service on shore, and detachments for service on 
board the numerous bomb-vessels which formed part of the 
squadron. 

The troops were to have been commanded by Lord Cath- 
cart, but unfortunately this officer died of fever, on the 
arrival of the expedition at Dominica, and his successor. 
General Wentworth, was totally unfit for the duties which 
devolved upon him. To this circumstance, and the want of 
harmony between him and the naval commander. Admiral 
Vernon, the ultimate failure of the expedition was due. 
Notwithstanding additional reinforcements from England, 
so reduced was this force in two years by disaster and 
disease, that not a tenth part returned to England ; '' and 
^' thus ended in shame, disappointment, and loss, the most 
" important, most expensive, and the best concerted expedi- 
" tion that Great Britain was ever engaged in, leaving this 
" melancholy proof, that if dissension is the misfortune of 
" a State, it is the ruin of any military undertaking." ^ 

In reading the accounts of this expedition, more especially 
of the attack on Garthagena, there is a positive relief in 
turning from the passages relating to the quarrels between 
the naval and military commanders to those painful but 
proud episodes, in which the obedience and bravery of the 
troops and seamen were so gloriously manifested; and 
although the first servicJe of the Eoyal Artillery on the 
Western side of the Atlantic was neither profitable nor 
pleasant, it can be studied with satisfaction, as far as their 
performance of their duties and endurance of hardship arc 



1 r 



Oust. 



124 A Sterner School. Chap. xi. 



k 



concerned. As for the blunders which were committed by 
the commanders, the blame must lie with them, not with 
the executive. 

To return, however, to Europe. The war of the Austrian 
succession had commenced, and England felt obliged to sup- 
port Maria Theresa, which she did partly by a grant of 
money, and partly by sending an expedition to Flanders 
under the aged Earl of Stair. The force employed amounted 
to 16,000 men ; and the Artillery comprised a considerable 
staff, three companies, and thirty guns, 3-pounders. 

At this time the Begiment was distributed as follows : — 
One company at Minorca, one in Gibraltar, one at Newfound- 
land, two at Woolwich, and three in Flanders. 

Although the Artillery was at Ghent in July, 1742, no 
military operations were carried on that year, owing to the 
backwardness of the Dutch to fulfil their part of the con- 
tract ; and the English lay in Flanders, inactive until the 
following year. 

The commanding officer of the Eoyal Artillery, at first, was 
Colonel Thomas Pattison, and the following is a nominal 
list of the combatant officers who served under him : — 
Major Geobge Michelson, 
Captain William Sumpter, 
„ Withers Borgard, 
First Lieutenant James Pattison, 
„ „ Thomas Flight, 

Second Lieutenant Samuel Cleaveland, 
^ Lieutenant-Fireworker John Northall, 

Nathaniel Marsh, 
Thomas Broadbridge, 
Edward Bullock, 
Adjutant Joseph Broome. 
Li November, 1742, Captain James Deal was appointed 
Lieutenant-Colonel to the train; Lieutenant Archibald 
Macbean was appointed Bridge-master; and Lieutenant 
Charles Stranover joined as Lieutenant of Miners. 

The number of non-combatants was very great, and the 
total strength of the companies amounted to eighteen non- 






Chap. XL Expedition to Flanders, 1 25 

commissioned officers, sixty-four gunners, 140 matrosses, 
four drummers, and twenty pioneers. 

On the 10th February, 1743, the train left Ghent to join 
the Allied Army, which was effected on the 16th May. 
King George met the army on the 19th June, and on the 
27th was fought the Battle of Dettingen. The Artillery 
share in this engagement was small, the chief points of note 
in the battle being the gallantry of King George and of the 
Duke of Cumberland, and the obstinate bravery of the in- 
fantry, to which — coupled with the blunder of the Due de 
Grammont — the victory was due. The hardships suffered 
by the Allies before the battle had been excessive, nor were 
they removed by success ; so it was considered advisable to 
fall back on their supplies instead of following the enemy. 
The guns present with the Boyal Artillery at the battle 
were 3-pounders, twenty-four in number. 

In the following year, 1744, and also in 1745, considerable 
augmentations to the officers with the train had been made, 
many having become available by the return of the expedi- 
tion from the West Indies. Among others, Colonel Jonathan 
Lewis was appointed Second Colonel to the train : and Cap- 
tains Borgard, Michelson, and Desaguliers, Lieutenants 
Charlton, Bennett, and Macbean, and, somewhat later. Major 
William Belford, joined it. The last-named officer was 
appointed Major to the train, in room of Michelson deceased. 

In 1744, many of the British troops had been recalled, on 
account of an expected invasion of England ; and so greatly 
did the French Army in Flanders outnumber that of the 
Allies, that no resistance could be made to its advance, and 
nothing but a diversion on the part of the Austrians, which 
made the French King hasten to the defence of his own 
kingdom, prevented the complete subjugation of Holland. 

In 1745, the Artillery marched with the army from 
Ghent, leaving on the 13th April. The Artillery marched 
in rear of the Army in the following order : — First, a ser- 
geant and six miners, two and two ; a tumbril drawn by 
three horses with miners' tools ; two four-horse waggons, 
containing Colonel Lewis's baggage; a front guard of 



126 A Sterner School. Chap. XI. 

twenty -four gunners and matrosses; a sergeant and two 
dmmmers; Lieutenant Pattison marcbing in front, and 
Lieutenant Macbean in rear; the kettle-drum; Colonel 
Lewis and Captain Michelson on horseback ; the flag-gun, 
a heavy 6-pounder, on a field-carriage and limber drawn by 
nine horses; nine more 6-pounders, drawn as above, but 
by seven horses ; one spare 6-pounder carriage and limber, 
drawn by seven horses ; twelve covered tumbrils with stores, 
each drawn by three horses ; four howitzers with five horses 
each ; one spare howitzer-carriage and limber, also with five 
horses ; six covered tumbrils with stores, with three horses 
each ; ten 3-pounders on " galloping carriages," with four 
horses each; a travelling forge cart with three horses; 
twenty-three powder tumbrils ; and three covered waggons 
with oflScers' tents, baggage, &c., with three horses each. 
The remaining officers and men marched on the flanks of the 
waggons and guns, a gunner marching by every gun, with 
a match. A Begiment of infantry formed the escort, the 
grenadier company marching in front, the remainder in rear. 
It should have been mentioned that in 1744, an increase to 
the armament of the train had been made, comprising ten 
heavy 6-pounders and four 8-inch howitzers ; and in 1745 
another company arrived from Woolwich. 

Some of the orders issued by the Duke of Cumberland, 
who was in command of the Army at this time, are curious : 
" It is strictly ordered by His Eoyal Highness that none 
" presume to shoot or hunt, whether officer or private, offi- 
" cers' servants or huntsmen ; this to be a standing order." 
Again : " Besides the going out of the Provost, there are 
"fifty Hussars ordered to patrol in the front and rear of 
" the camp, and to cut to pieces every man that they may 
" find beyond the limits of the camp. 

At Fontenoy, such of the guns as were engaged did good 
service, more especially those attached to Ligonier*s column, 
which preceded its advance, dragged along by ropes, and 
doing great execution. Had the Dutch troops fought as 
well as the British, Fontenoy would have been a victory for 
the Allies, instead of a defeat. The loss of the Boyal Artil- 



Chap. XI. Battle of Fmitenoy. 127 

lery was small compared with that of the English infantry. 
It comprised Lieutenant Bennett, one sergeant, one gunner, 
and four matrosses killed ; one conductor, two sergeants, one 
corporal, six gunners, and thirteen matrosses wounded ; two 
gunners and four matrosses missing. 

The guns actually present on the field comprehended ten 
6-pounders, twenty-seven 3-pounders, six Impounders,— 
recently sent from England — and four 8-inch howitzers. 

The officers present at the Battle of Fontenoy were 
Colonel Pattison, Lieut.-Colonel Lewis, Major Belford, Cap- 
tains Michelson, Mace, Desaguliers, Flight, Captains-Lieu- 
tenant Ord, Leith, Brome, aud Johnson, and Lieutenants 
Pattison, Camphell, Cleaveland, Tovey, Stranover, T. Smith, 
McLeod, Macbean, Charlton, Strachey, Northall, Maitland, 
Hussey, Pike, B. Smith, Bennett (killed). Mason, Durham, 
Knox, Farquharson, Worth, and Lindsay. Many of these 
had joined the train just before the battle. 

The strength of the Allied Army did not exceed 53,000 
men ; that of the French — under Marshal Saxe, and inspi- 
rited by the presence of the King and the Dauphin — ap- 
proached 80,000. Of the British troops 4000 were killed and 
wounded, besides 2000 Hanoverians. Fontenoy was a defeat, 
but hardly one which can be said to have tarnished in the 
slightest the British Arms. 

The Duke of Cumberland withdrew his forces in good 
order. On the march, an order which is extant shows a 
novel means of confining prisoners : " The sergeant of 
"miners is to make a black hole under ground^ and the 
^' carpenter to make a door to it with a padlock ; always to 
" be clean straw for the prisoners ; and if any sergeant or 
" corporal suffer anything to go in to them, but bread and 
" water, they shall be tried for disobedience of orders." 

In October, the rebellion in Scotland had created such an 
alarm that the whole of the Artillery in Flanders, now 
amounting to four companies, was recalled to England. 

Prior to their return, however, news had reached the 
Allied Army, near Brussels, of the successful result of 
the Siege of Louisbourg by the New England troops, and, 



i 



128 A Sterner School. Chap. xi. 

as a symptom of rejoicing, a review of the Army was ordered 
by the Duke of Cumberland, which is mentioned by General 
Forbes Macbean in his MS. diary, on account of a circum- 
stance which can best be described in his own words : " The 
" Army was drawn up in order of battle, and reviewed by 
"the Duke: the Park of Artillery was formed in great 
" order on a fine extensive plain near Vilvorden : the four 
" companies of Artillery under arms, drawn up, two on the 
" right, and two on the left of the park : Colonel Pattison, 
" Lieut.-Colonel Lewis, and Major Belford, posted them- 
" selves on horseback in front of the park, when they saluted 
" His Eoyal Highness as he passed,' by dropping their 
" swords. The other officers, carrying fusees, only took oflf 
" their hats as he passed them." 

At this time — in 1745 — a company was sent to garrison 
Louisbourg, and another was sent to Newfoundland, the Regi- 
ment at this date having been increased to ten companies. 

The interlude of the Scotch rebellion, which involved th^ 
recall of the companies from Flanders, does not require 
detailed mention. There was a good deal of what Albert 
Borgard would have called useless marching and counter- 
marching in England. The Artillery was successful at 
Carlisle and CuUoden; very unsuccessful at Falkirk. At 
Prestonpans, the guns were not served by the Eoyal Artil- 
lery, but by seamen. At Falkirk, the guns were hard and 
fast in a bog, and were not once in action. As soon as the 
peasant drivers, who had been engaged with the horses, saw 
the Eoyal Army waver, they promptly fled ; and of the eight 
guns which had accompanied the King's troops, seven fell 
into the hands of the enemy. At CuUoden, the victory may 
be said to have been won by the Artillery. In the words of 
Sir Edward Cust, " the guns were so exceedingly well plied 
" that they made dreadful lanes through some of the clan 

regiments. It was with extreme difficulty that the men 

could be kept in their places to stand this murderous fire." 
The Artillery was under the command of Colonel Belford. 
Only one company of the Eegiment was at Culloden, tlie 
remaining five on home service being at Woolwich, whence 






Chap. XL Want of Mobility, 1 29 

in the preceding winter they had furnished detachments 
for service in England at Chester, Carlisle, and Newcastle. 
The guns employed during the rebellion were 6-pounder8, 
3-pounder8, and howitzers. 

It is with pleasure that one turns from the story of civil 
war, always painful, rarely glorious, to Flanders again, 
where two companies were ordered immediately after the sup- 
pression of the rebellion. But before doing so, it is im- 
possible to avoid mentioning a coincidence which is somewhat 
singular. As in the Scotch rebellion of 1715, the disastrous 
unwieldiness, and the indiflferent equipment of the Artillery 
trains on the old spasmodic principle, forced upon the 
country the idea of a permanent force of Artillery, so in 
the Scotch rebellion of 1745, the disaster of Falkirk forced 
upon the public attention the folly of a Field Artillery with 
no assured mobility. In a contemporary article in the 
* Gentleman's Magazine,* quoted by the author of * Eng- 
land's Artillerymen,' this feeling found expression ; and as 
to one Scotch rebellion the Regiment may be said to owe its 
birth, so to another it may date the first step in advance 
made by that portion of it intended for service in the field. 
This coincidence suggests many questions to the student. 
Is public opinion necessary to bring about military reform? 
And is English public opinion on military questions only 
awakened when^ civil or other war thrusts military blunders 
in a very prominent and personal way before public atten- 
tion? These questions may be answered partly in the 
affirmative, and partly in the negative. 

It is undoubtedly a consequence of military training, to 
produce, in a man's mind, more of an inclination to make the 
best of what is, than to suggest change and improvement. 
And, further, as change for the better generally implies 
expense ; and as the heads of military, as of other public 
departments, have a particular horror of anything involving 
increased outlay, it follows that suggestions in that direction, 
made by their own subordinates^ are received with scant 
favour, and the would-be reformers are deterred in every 
way from pursuing their inclinations. But the public owes 

VOL. I. ^ 



I30 



A Sterner School. Chap. XI. 



no allegiance to its officials ; and the wildest schemes from 
an outsider receive an attention denied to the most practical 
suggestions from those in the employment of a department. 
Although, therefore, the public is often the father of military 
advances, it must not hastily be assumed that this is owing 
to a want of originality in military men. 

Again, although civil war in England demonstrated mili- 
tary defects in a very special way, it must not be assumed 
either that these defects had not been apparent to soldiers 
before, or that so strong a measure as civil war was necessary 
to enlist public opinion. Apart from the cause above men- 
tioned, which would deter an officer from recommending 
change, it must not be inferred that the same delicacy was 
shown to the peasantry of other countries, where transport 
was required for the Artillery, as to those who were called 
upon in England for assistance. Martial law, which would 
have been rarely, if ever, enforced upon English peasantry 
by English commanders, was freely exercised abroad ; aqd, 
with this exercise, the want of mobility was not so frequently 
allowed to appear. And with regard to the necessity of an 
actual, bitter home-experience being required to awaken 
public opinion, the recent Franco-German war proves the 
contrary. The reports of the value of Artillery in that 
campaign were sufficient, without actual and personal obser- 
vation, to awaken in the public mind a strong and unanimous 
resolution to perfect that arm in England, such as no govern- 
ment could have dared to thwart. When backed by public 
opinion in England, a Government will gladly make changes 
involving expense, and in fact, to refuse to do so would bo 
folly; but when that public opinion, even if foolish and 
ignorant, is against change or expense, or even indifferent on 
the subject, the military reformer within the ranks of the 
Army may as well beat the air as urge his suggestions. All 
these considerations have to be borne in mind when studying 
the history of Army reforms. 

The two companies which went to Flanders in 1746, were 
under the command of Colonel Lewis; Captain Borgard, 
Michelson acting as Major ; Lieutenant Brome as Adjutant, 



Chap. XI. hureased Efficieficy. 1 3 1 

and Lieutenant Stranoyer as Quartermaster. The number of 
subaltern officers with the companies seems excessive, being 
no less than ten, besides three Captain-Lieutenants ; but a 
means of employing them was adopted this year, by distri- 
buting the fourteen 3-pounder guns, which were with the 
companies, among the seven battalions ; two to each battalion 
under a Lieutenant. This arrangement was ordered on the 
20th July, 1746 ; but it is soothing to the student to find on 
the 23rd of the following month this pernicious custom sus- 
pended, and the battalion guns ordered to join the reserve. 

Li 1747, there were five companies in Flanders, three 
having been added to the Begiment ; and the following was 
the armament in their charge : six heavy 12-pounders ; six 
heavy 9-pounders; fourteen heavy and twelve light 6- 
pounders : fourteen heavy 3-pounders : two 8-inch howitzers ; 
and six Boyal mortars. 

In 1748, in addition to the above, thirty-two light 6- 
pounders were sent for use with the battalions. 

At the battle of Boncoux, the want of Artillery was sorely 
felt by the British, the more so, as the enemy was in this 
arm particularly strong ; and doubtless this led to the great 
increase made in 1747, both in men and guns. 

The arrival of Colonel Belford to command the Artillery 
in the winter of 1746, and during the rest of the campaign, 
produced a marked and beneficial efiect. Colonel Pattison 
and Major Lewis were allowed to retire on full-pay, in 
January 1748, on account of old age and infirmities : and 
their younger successors devoted themselves to giving a 
military appearance to the companies under their command. 
In this they were greatly assisted, not merely by the im- 
proved and better educated class of officers, now joining from 
the Academy ; but also by an accidental circumstance which 
swelled the ranks with many well-trained soldiers. It is 
mentioned as follows by old General Macbean : " About this 
" time, three Begiments of Cavalry being reduced to Dra- 
" goons, and the troopers having it in their option to remain 
" as Dragoons or be discharged, many of them chose the 
" latter ; and above two hundred of them enlisted into the 



132 A Sterner School. Chap. Xl. 

" Artillery. From this period, the Eegiment improved 
" much in appearance, and in the size of the men, neither of 
" which had been hitherto much attended to ; but receiving 
'^ at once so many tall men in the corps may be said to have 
" given rise to the change that has taken place in regard to 
" the height, strength, and figure of the men which now 
" compose it." Among other means of training and disci- 
plining the men under his command during the tedious 
months when the Army was in winter quarters, Colonel 
Belford devoted much time to practising them in the use of 
small-arms, and in infantry manoeuvres, never yet practised 
in the Eegiment. So successful was he, that the Duke of 
Cumberland reviewed the companies ; on which occasion the 
gunners of the companies, with their field staffs, formed upon 
the right as a company of grenadiers ; and the matrosses, 
with their muskets, as a battalion. There are not wanting, 
in the nineteenth century, men who wish that Colonel 
Belford's zeal had taken some other direction ; who think the 
use of Artillerymen, even on field-days, as infantry, is a mis- 
use ; and who would remove the carbines from the Garrison 
Artillery, in order that more time might be allowed for their 
own special and varied drills. There are even scoffers, who 
say that the presence of a body of men in the garrison under 
his command, armed and equipped like infantry, is more 
than a General Officer can bear; that he is never at rest 
until he sees this body swelling his Brigade by another 
battalion ; and that he inspects it in infantry details more 
minutely than in those of its own special arm. Whatever 
ground there may be for these complaints, there can be no 
doubt that Colonel Belford was innocent of any desire to 
divert his men from their own work: and merely availed 
himself of this, as of other means of disciplining and training 
them into habits of smartness and obedience. And among 
other things which he borrowed from the infantry, besides 
their drill, was that of an Officer's Eegimental Guard over 
the Artillery Park, in addition to the guard furnished by the 
Line Begiments, a more important item than it would at 
first sight appear to be. 



Chap. XI. Bravery of British Troops. 133 






Two Courts-martial, one upon an officer, and one upon a 
gunner, are mentioned here, as probably interesting to the 
reader. Lieutenant McCulloch, having been tried and found 
guilty by a General Court-martial, of disobedience to Colonel 
Belford's orders, was suspended for the space of three months, 
and ordered to make the following submission : " I am very 
sorry I am guilty of a neglect of my duty, and I do par- 
ticularly ask Colonel Belford's pardon, and will, for the 
" future, avoid being guilty of a thing of the like nature." 
Having complied with the submission, and Colonel Belford 
having requested that the remaining part of the sentence 
might be remitted, the Duke of Cumberland, being highly 
pleased with the conduct of the Artillery at the recent battle 
of Val, was pleased to accede to the request. 

The gunner, who was tried, had been guilty of insubor- 
dination towards a sergeant, and being formally convicted 
by a Eegimental Court-martial, was sentenced to be "re- 
" duced in pay and duty for one month to matross, ride the 
" gun, ask the sergeant's pardon at the head of the Begi- 
*' ment, and that the difiference of his pay be employed for 
" the use of the sick." 

In reading the accounts of this war between the Allies 
and the French, one feels how just was the remark of 
Louis XV. after Val, that the " British not only paid all," 
" but fought all." On them fell all the brunt of every en- 
gagement, and the discussion and misunderstanding which so 
often prevailed among the Allied commanders had no effect 
upon the bravery of the British troops. At Val, the Artil- 
lery had thirty men killed. Major Michelson, Lieutenants 
McLeod, Farrington, Dexter, Stephens, Pedley, and nineteen 
men wounded ; and twenty-five taken prisoners. They re- 
ceived the special thanks of the Duke for their conduct 
during this obstinate and bloody engagement. 

The next thing that strikes one is the cool and able 

generalship of Marshal Saxe. He had superior numbers 

under his command ; nor did he suffer from divided counsels, 

but these advantages do not conceal his military talent. 

Next, to the student's mind, the absurdly luxurious way 



134 A Sterner School. Chap. Xl. 



of making war then prevalent suggests itself, if the term 
can be applied to any contest where loss of life was so great. 
It was, indeed, a game at which the leaders played ; and in 
the quiet of their systematic winter-quarters they devised 
and matured new moves for the coming season. How 
changed is modern warfare ! What a different system is to 
be read in the stories of the trenches before Sebastopol, or 
the winter encampment of the Germans round Paris ! 

The war gradually filtered itself away into the peace of 
Aix-la-Chapelle. After Val came the siege of Bergen-op- 
Zoom, where fourteen men of the ,Royal Artillery were 
killed ; then came winter quarters at Breda ; then came pre- 
parations for a new campaign in 1748 ; although peace was 
in every one's mind, and the plenipotentiaries to conclude it 
had already met ; then came the siege of Maestricht, with its 
Quixotic ending; and at last came peace itself. A peace 
which brought profit neither to England nor to France; 
which could not obliterate the long list on the rolls of 
each nation which war had entered in the books of death ; 
which, if possible, only made the folly of the contest more 
apparent; and which, while it ceased the actual roll of 
cannon, and crossing of bayonets, did not stop the pulsation 
of hatred in each nation's breast, which was to throb with 
increasing vigour, until a new and more bitter war should 
gratify the unsmothered longings of each. A peace which — 
with the solitary exception of Prussia — seemed to do good, 
or bring rest to none but unhappy Flanders, the battle- 
ground of Europe, the victim in every international contest. 

But a peace, also, which closed for a time that sterner 
school of discipline in which the Royal Artillery had now 
for years been studying ; in which there had been officers 
such as Macbean, Desaguliers, Phillips, and Pattison, learn- 
ing lessons, which were to bear fruit in yet grimmer warfare, 
both in Europe and America ; and on whose black-boards — 
blank in this respect, when the war commenced — there had 
now been indelibly inscribed the words, that "an Army 
" without Artillery is no Army at all !" 

Before closing this chapter, there are one or two points 



Chap. XI. Hardships. 135 

connected with the Artillery in the field, which deserve 
mention. First ; the amount of ammunition which was carried 
in the field with each gun was as follows : — 100 round-shot, 
and 30 rounds of grape; with the exception of the long 
6-pounder guns, which carried 80 round-shot, and 40 grape. 
Second ; the stores and ammunition were issued direct by the 
Commissaries to the officers commanding Brigades of guns, 
i,e. Batteries — on requisition — who tad, however, to make 
their own cartridges, and fix the wooden bottoms to the 
round-shot and grape, after receipt. The wooden bottoms 
were made by the artificer, called the turner; and were 
fastened by the tinman. Another of the tinman's duties was 
the manufacture of the tubes — and of boxes to contain them. 
Third; luxurious in one sense, as the war was, it had its 
hardships, as the following extract will show : — August 27th, 
1746. — "Arrived at camp after a most difficult march, the 
'* Artillery constantly moving for four days and three nights 
" without encamping — nearly starved ; through woods, over 

mountainous country, with the bottoms full of rapid little 

rivers and deep marshes. Almost all the horses lost their 
" shoes, and men and horses nearly starved. 3rd September. 
" — Marched from the camp at 3 a.m., and crossed the Maise, 
" 170 yards broad, over the pontoon bridges, near Maistricht. 
" The bridges were commenced laying at one o'clock in the 
" morning, and were completed by seven, when the heads of 
" the column made their appearance. The French army 
" was in order of battle on the heights of Hautain, opposite 
" to Visel, where he supposed we were to pass, with a design 

to fall upon us when we were partly crossed the river. 

5th September. — The enemy attacked our light troops 
" posted opposite to Yisel, on the Maise, and handled them 
" very roughly ; those that were not killed, being forced 
" into the river, where they were drowned." Lastly, it is to 
be noted that, as in all our later wars before they have lasted 
any time, the ranks were thinned by disease and death, and 
there was a difficulty in replenishing them, even with reeruits. 
It is to be hoped that the system of reserves recently organized 
in the English Army will in future mitigate this evil. 



it 






136 A Sterner School. Chap. XI. 

On the retnrn of the Army to England in 1748, three 
companies of Artillery were reduced; the officers being 
gradnally brought in, as vacancies occurred. Among other 
customs brought by the companies from Flanders was that 
of employing fifers as well as drummers : " the first fifers 
" in the British Army having been established in the Royal 
" Regiment of Artillery at the end of this war, being taught 
" by John Ulrich, a Hanoverian fifer, brought from Flanders 
*• by Colonel Belford, when the Allied Army separated." ^ 

So much for the school of discipline in Europe. But 
there had been a class-room opened in the East, to which 
the Regiment sent some pupils. Admiral Boscawen had been 
ordered to the East Indies, in command of a mixed naval and 
military force, including a company of the Royal Artillery, 
under Major Goodyear. The force of the enemy, and the 
strength of his defences, had been underrated ; and it cannot 
be said that the expedition was very successful. The ord- 
nance which accompanied the Artillery consisted of twelve 
6-pounders, six 3-pounders, two 10-inch, three 8-inch, fifteen 
5^-inch, and twenty-five 4^-inch mortars, all of brass. It 
was at the siege of Pondicherry that these guns were used, 
a siege which lasted from the 11th of August to the 6 th of 
October, 1748, when Admiral Boscawen was compelled to 
raise it after a loss of over 1000 men. The Royal Artillery 
lost, out of a total of 148 of all ranks, no less than forty- 
three, including Major Goodyear, who fell, mortally wounded, 
during the siege, his leg being carried away by a round- 
shot. 

A stop was put to the hostilities by the declaration of 
peace, but the presence of Admiral Boscawen enabled him 
to ratify, in a prompt manner, that part of the treaty which 
restored Madras to the English. Many men of Major Good- 
year's company were allowed, in 1749, to volunteer for the 
East India Company's service. 

But this expedition has an interest to the Artilleryman 
beyond the military operations. Before sailing. Admiral 



Macbean*8 MSS. 



Chap. XI. Dual Government. 137 

Boscawen asserted his intention, in spite of Major Goodyear's 
remonstrances, of filling up, as Commander-in-Chief, any 
vacancies which might occur in the company of Artillery. 

The Board of Ordnance was appealed to, and most warmly 
protested against such an interference with its prerogative, 
— declaring that none of the appointments made by the 
Admiral would be recognized by the present or any suc- 
ceeding Master-General. Doubtless, the Board was right ; 
and Admiral Boscawen, being anxious to retain the favour 
of all under his command, let the matter drop. With a 
seniority corps, essentially detached when on service, it was 
absolutely necessary that promotion should be general, not 
local. At the same time, the restraint of the Board was 
irksome— not the less so because just ; and the feeling could 
never be agreeable to a commander, that serving under him 
were those who owed a special allegiance to another. As 
time went on, and the military department of the Ordnance 
increased, this irritation would become more general, and 
the points of difference between Generals and the Board 
would multiply. 

The wisdom of the change which put Generals and the 
Ordnance Corps under one head might have been proved by 
a priori, as it has been by a posteriori reasoning ; and this 
trifling episode between Admiral Boscawen and the Board is 
interesting, as showing that, thirty years after the Kegiment 
had been called into existence, the Dual Government of the 
Artillery was already producing natural consequences. But 
it is also interesting, as manifesting the affection which the 
Board already evinced for the child they had begotten — an 
interest sometimes too paternal, but never unlovely. 

An excellent letter from the principal officers of the 
Ordnance is extant, urging the claims to Army Bank of 
the officers of the Artillery, which had been again questioned 
by some belonging to the other arms of the service. The 
difficulty was, in a very few years, settled by the King, 
in place of the Master-General, signing the commissions of 
Artillery officers; but this letter from the Board is inte- 
resting, as pleading, on grounds of justice and in language 



138 A Sterner ScfiooL Chap. XI. 

far warmer than could have been expected, the claims of the 
corps which they had created. The letter bears date 24th 
February, 1744, and, after quoting the decision in favour of 
Artillery officers arrived at by the King in 1724, and con- 
firmed in 1735, and mentioning two Courts-martial held in 
1737 and 1742, at which officers of Artillery sat with those of 
the other arms, according to date of Commission, goes on to 
say that, notwithstanding these facts, there are not wanting 
those who deny any military status to Artillery officers in 
the field. The writers then state a case, to show the 
absurdity of the view objected to : — " If a Captain of Artil- 
" lery, with a number of guns and Artillery people, should 
" happen to be escorted by a Lieutenant of a Eegiment on 
" Foot, with a number of men belonging thereto, the Captain 
" (according to the sentiments of those with whom we diflfer) 
" must take his orders from the Lieutenant, which he would, 
" with reason, think a great hardship ; for the Lieutenant 
" would not obey one whom he deems to be no more than a 
" titular Captain, and who, he is taught to believe, has no 
" rank in the Army. And if the said Lieutenant should be 
" killed, and the command devolve to the eldest sergeant, 
" according to the notion before mentioned, the Captain of 
" Artillery must take his orders from the said Sergeant of 
" Foot, — the consequence of which is so obvious, that we 
" need not enlarge upon it." 

"But further, my Lord, should this opinion prevail, it 
" would be a total discouragement to the officers of Artillery, 
" as well as highly prejudicial to His Majesty's Service." 

"The ordinary duty and discipline of the officers and 
" private men of the Artillery is, in every respect, the same 
" with that of every other Regiment of the Army. The 
" qualifications of Artillery officers are not acquired by 
" practice only, but are the result of long study and appli- 
" cation. They must be proficients in several sciences, and 
" Masters of several arts, which is not required from other 
" officers. They are subjected to the Articles of War, and 
" all the penalties of the Act for Mutiny and Desertion, 
"-and arc equally a part of His Majesty's Forces with any 



Chap. XI. Its Disco7itmua7ice desired, 139 



" other Begiment of the Army. The service of the Artillery 
" is generally understood to be more dangerous and severe 
'' than any other ; and although they are an essential part 
" of one and the same Army, yet if they bear no rank in it, 
" but at Courts-martial only, they are in a worse situation 
'' and under greater difficulties and discouragements than 
" any part of the Army ; for, let their service have been ever 
" so long, — their conduct and bravery ever so conspicuous 
" and meritorious, — they can only rise gradually and slowly 
" in their own little corps, if they have no rank in the Army, 
" and can never be promoted in any other, which is the 
'* usual and almost only reward of distinguished merit in 
" other officers." 

While sympathizing with the spirit which animated the 
writers of the above, one may differ as to the nature of the 
reward they sought for meritorious officers of ArtiDery, in 
promotion into the other arms. For more than forty years 
after this letter was written this reward was one which was 
coveted by the senior officers of the corps for the younger 
members. Doubtless, the intention was to obtain a promo- 
tion for them which could not be found in the stagnation of a 
seniority corps. But, to the modern Artilleryman, the pro- 
motion which involved separation from the Regiment for 
whose duties he had been specially trained would be but a 
doubtful reward. 



( HO ) 



CHAPTER XII. 

Woolwich in the Olden Time. 

T IFE in the Barracks in the Warren, where the Artillery 
^ at Woolwich were stationed, with the exception of one 
company, which was detached at Greenwich whenever the 
Warren was overcrowded, can be gathered from the Standing 
Orders which survive in the old MS. order-books in the 
Koyal Artillery Kegimental Library and Royal Artillery 
Record Office. A few of these orders, extracted from the 
books whose contents extend over the period between 1741 
and 1757, cannot fail to be interesting. 

The establishment of each company at the commencement 
of that period was as follows : — One Captain, one Captain- 
Lieutenant, one First Lieutenant, one Second Lieutenant, 
three Lieutenant Fireworkers, three Sergeants, three Cor- 
porals, eight Bombardiers, twenty Gunners, sixty-four 
Matrosses, and two Drummers — in all, one hundred and 
seven. 

The uniform dress of the officers was a plain blue coat, 
lined with scarlet, a large scarlet Argyle cuflf, double- 
breasted, and with yellow buttons to the bottom of the 
skirts; scarlet waistcoat and breeches — the waistcoat 
trimmed with broad gold lace, — and a gold-laced hat. The 
Sergeants' coats were trimmed, the lappels, cuffs, and 
pockets with a broad single gold lace ; the Corporals' and 
Bombardiers' with a narrow single gold lace ; the Gunners' 
and Matrosses', plain-blue coats; all the non-commissioned 
officers and men having scarlet half-lappels, scarlet cuffs, and 
slashed sleeves with five buttons, and blue waistcoats and 
breeches ; the Sergeants' hats trimmed with a broad and the 
other non-commissioned officers' and men's with a narrow 
gold lace. White spatterdashes were then worn. The 



Chap. X 1 1 . Uniform of the Regiment. 1 4 1 

Begimental clothing was delivered to the non-commissioned 
officers and men once a year, with the exception of the 
Regimental coats, which they only received every second 
year ; receiving in the intermediate year a coarse blue loose 
surtont, which served for laboratory work, cooking, fatigue 
duties, &c. The arms of the officers were fusees without 
bayonets, and not uniform. The sergeants, corporals, and 
bombardiers were armed with halberds and long brass-hilted 
swords; "the gunners carried field-staffs about two feet 
" longer than a halberd, with two lintstock cocks branching 
" out at the head, and a spear projecting between and be- 
" yond them (great care was paid to keeping these very 
" bright) ; a buff belt over the left shoulder, slinging a large 
" powder-horn, mounted with brass over the right pocket ; 
" and the same long brass-hilted swords as worn by the non- 
" commissioned officers. The matrosses had only common 
" muskets and bayonets, with cartouche-boxes." * 

The variations in the dress of the Regiment which subse- 
quently were made will be noted in their proper places. 

A few of the orders issued by General Borgard are given 
to show the interior economy of the Regiment in 1743 and 
subsequent years : 

March 13, 1743. "That the corporals and bombardiers 
" do not drink with any of the private men." 

March 29, 1743. " That if any non-commispioned officer 
" or gunner make himself unfit for the King's duty, either 
" by drinking, whoring, or any other bad practice, he will 
" send them to the Hospital at London for cure, and dis- 
" charge them out of the Regiment." 

January 30, 1744. " That no man go out a-shooting, on 
" any account whatever." 

August 15, 1744. " The Captains to advertise all their 
" deserters in the newspapers." 

October 29, 1744. " That none of the people go three 
" miles out of quarters without a passport, in writing, from 



Macbeairs MSS. 



142 Woolwich in the Olden Time. Chap. XI i. 



" the Captain or officer commanding the Company to which 
" they belong." 

February 15, 1745. " That neither non-commissioned 
" officers, cadets, nor private men go a-shooting, either in 
" the Warren or Country, without leave of their officer who 
" commands the company to which they belong." 

April 18, 1746. "That none of the non-commissioned 
" officers strike any of the men, on any pretence whatso- 
" ever ; but in case they are guilty of any misbehaviour, 
" confine them prisoners and report them to the commanding 
" officer. That the Sergeants, Corporals, and Bombardiers 
" enrol in duty all alike." 

July 22, 1746. " That the Sergeants and Corporals go 
" round all the Public-houses in Town, and acquaint them 
" that it is the General's orders that they trust none of the 
" Train people on any account whatever." 

October 20, 1746. " That none of the men carry their 
" victuals from the Baker's or any other weight on their 
" Regimental Hats. That the Orderly Sergeants and Cor- 
" porals make these orders known to the same." 

November 21, 1746. " That the Captains have all their 
" men provided with a knapsack, two pair of shoes, three 
" pair of stockings, and three shirts and stocks each." 

March 2, 1747. " That none of the men be suffered to go 
" to work in their Regimental coats, but either in frocks or 
" surtouts." 

March 16, 1747. " The men who are taken sick and sent 
" to the Infirmary are to be paid only 3a. Qd. per week, 
" which money is to be paid the nurse for subsistence ; 
" The remainder of their pay to be kept until they are 
" recovered." 

June 16, 1747. " That none of the officers turn any of 
" their horses to graze in the Warren." 

January 8, 1749. " That none of the Lieutenants go to 
" London, stay all night out of quarters, change his guard, 
" or any other duty without the General's or Commanding 
" Officer's leave ; that they first apply^ to their Captain or 
" Commanding Officer of the Company to which they belong 



(i 



Chap. XII. Standing Orders^ &c. 143 

" for his consent to be absent, which if obtained, they may 
" then apply to the commanding officer, and not before ; 
that if any officer change his guard or other duty without 
leave, or does not attend the Parade exactly at the Hour of 
Mounting, or the proper time when visiting the Barracks, 
" or any other duty is to be done, that the Adjutant report 
" the same directly to the Commanding Officer in quarters." 
February 27, 1749. " The Eoll to be called in the Bar- 
" racks at nine o'clock at night, in presence of the Officer 
" on Guard, who is to have a Report made to him in writing 
" of those absent. Immediately after the Roll is called the 
" Orderly Corporals are to go into Town, and each go round 
" their men's quarters (those in private lodgings as well as 
" those billeted in Public-houses), and make a report to the 
" Officer of the Guard of those who are absent. The Orderly 
" men are then to go to their Rooms, and the Sergeant of 
" the Guard to lock both Barrack doors, and bring the 
keys to his officer, who is to send the Sergeant to open 
the doors at Reveille beating in the morning. The officer 
" shall confine any of those men who are found absent if 
" they come in during his Guard, and report them to the 
" Commanding Officer at his being relieved. But, in case 
" they do not come in during his Guard, he is to leave their 
" names with the relieving officer. If the orderly men find 
" any men absent from quarters over night, they are to go 
" early next morning to see if they are come home, and, if 
" they find they are, to bring them to the Guard in order 
" to be examined by the officer and give reasons for being 
" absent the night before. If the orderly men, in going 
" round, find any man drinking in Public-hous* where they 
" are not quartered, they are to order them home, which if 
" they refuse to comply with, are to bring them directly to 
" the Guard, and confine them for disobeying orders." 

. April 1, 1749. " The Orderly Corporals are to report to 
" their respective Captains all non-commissioned officers and 
** private men who do not parade for church, in order to 
" their being stopped a day's pay, according to the Articles 
" of War ; and if any man is seen to quit his rank after 



(I 



144 Woolwich in the Olden Time. Chap. XII. 



** marching from the parade, and does not go to Church, he 
" shall be punished the same as if he had not paraded, of 
" which the non-commissioned officers who go to Church are 
" to report at their return to the Orderly Corporals, and 
" they to the Captains." 

There was immense excitement in Woolwich in the spring 
of 1749. A great firework, made at Woolwich, was to be 
exhibited in the Green Park, and the Eegiment, for the first 
time, was to be reviewed by the King. The Order-books 
bristle with threats and admonitions, and some of them 
reveal a power in the Commanding Officer of which he has 
long been deprived. 

April 16th, 1749. "The officers and men to be under 
" arms to-morrow both morning and afternoon. The officers 
*' to endeavour as much as possible to perfect themselves, 
" both in taking posts and saluting. The captains to see 
" that their companies march strong, and in as good order as 
" possible, on Tuesday morning at seven o'clock, in order to 
" their being reviewed on Wednesday by the King. Every 

man to parade with his arms and accoutrements as clean 

as hands can make them ; and in case any of their clothes 
" want mending or buttons, the person so offending shall 
" be severely punished. And the first man that is seen 
" drunk, or the least in liquor, he shall be immediately 
" brought to y^ halberts, and there receive 300 lashes, and 
" afterwards be drummed out of the Regiment with a rope 
" about his neck. The guard to mount to-morrow in black 
" spatterdashes, and the officers in boots." 

After order. " That all the cadets who desire to see the 
" fireworks be under arms at five o'clock in black spatter- 
" dashes, and their officers in boots, in order to march by 
" Lambeth to the Green Park. They are to take white 
" spatterdashes in their pockets to appear in." 

The discipline among the cadets may be comprehended 
from the following order : — 

October 10, 1840. "Complaints having been made to 
" the Board that the following persons belonging to the 



(( 
(( 



a 
it 



Chap. XII. Standing Orders^ &€. 145 

" Company of Gentlemen Cadets in the Royal Regiment of 
" Artillery have been very negligent of their duty, viz., 
" Francis Volloton, Archibald Douglas, &c. &c. And that 
" Francis Volloton has been absent above twelve months, 
'^ and not so much as attended the muster, and has other- 
" wise misbehaved himself. It is the Board's orders that 

the said Francis Volloton- be broke, and the rest suspended 

from their pay till they show cause to the contrary." 

A previous order to that just quoted shows that boyish- 
ness was not confined to the Cadets. An order, twice issued, 
appeared on 

July 23, 1749. **That none of the men play at long 

bullet on Plumstead Road, of which they are all to be 

acquainted." 

August 26, 1749. " When any of the men die or desert, 

the Captain of the company is to put down the day in the 
'' muster-roll against his name, and the money to be left in 

the agent's hands from the day such men died or deserted 

for recruiting others in their room." 

March 14, 1750. " The Captains or commanding officers 
" of companies are to observe that henceforward no man is 
" to be enlisted under five feet nine inches without shoes." 

March 30, 1750. " The Sergeant of the Guard is not to 
" sufier any non-commissioned officer or private man to go 
" out of the Warren gate unless they are dressed clean, their 
'' hair combed and tied up, with clean stockings, and shoes 
" well blacked, and in every other respect like soldiers. 
" The cooks are excepted during their cooking hours, but 
" not otherwise." 

May 9, 1750. " No subaltern officer is for the future to 
" have a servant out of any of the companies." 

July 17, 1750. " The commanding officers of companies 
" are ordered by the general to provide proper wigs for such 
" of their respective men that do not wear their hair, as 
" soon as possible." 

July 25, 1750. " Each company is to be divided into 
" three squads. The officers and non-commissioned officers 
" to be appointed to them to be answerable that the arms, 

VOL. I. \x 



u 
it 

li 



ti 

ti 



146 Woolwich in the Olden Time, Chap. Xll. 

'' accontrementR, &c., are kept in constant good order, and 
" that the men always appear clean." 

July 25, 1750. ** Joseph Spiers, gunner in Captain Desa- 
" gulier's company, is by sentence of a Court-martial broke 
" to a matross, and to receive 100 lashes ; but General Bor- 
" gard has been pleased to forgive him the punishment." 

A General Court-martial was ordered to assemble at the 
Academij to try a matross for desertion. The Court, which 
assembled at 10 a.m. on the 20th October, 1750, was com- 
posed of Lieutenant-Colonel Belford as President, vnth nine 
captains and three lieutenants as members. 

November 3, 1750. " Sergeant Campbell, in Captain 
" Pattison's company, is by sentence of a Regimental Court- 
" martial reduced to a Bombardier for one month, from the 
" date hereof, and the difference of his pay to be stopped." 

The death of General Borgard took place in 1751, and he 
was succeeded by Colonel Belford. This oflScer was most 
energetic in drilling officers and men, and in compelling 
them to attend Academy and all other instructions. Even 
such an opportunity as the daily relief of the Warren guard 
was turned to account by him ; and the old and new guards 
were formed into a company for an hour's drill, under the 
senior officer present, at guard mounting. From one order 
issued by him, it would seem as if the authority of the 
captains required support, being somewhat weakened per- 
haps, as is often the case, by the oversight and interference 
in small matters by the colonel ; for we find it was neces- 
sary on March 2, 1751, to order " That when any of the 
** Captains review their companies either with or without 
" arms, all the officers belonging to them were to be pre- 
" sent." 

Colonel Belford's weakness for the carbine is apparent in 
many of his orders. 

April 1, 1751. " All the officers' servants who are awkward 
" at the exercise of the small arms to be out every afternoon 
" with the awkward men, and the rest of them to attend the 
" exercise of the gun." 

A most important official must have been expected in the 






it 



Chap. XII. Standing Orders^ &c. 147 

Warren on the 5th August, 1751, for we find orders issued 
on the previous evening, as follows : 

" The Begiment to be under arms to-morrow morning at 
" nine o'clock. The commanding officers are to see that 
" their respective men are extremely well-powdered, and as 

clean as possible in every respect. The guard to consist 

to-morrow of one Captain, two Lieutenants, two Sergeants, 
" four Corporals, and forty men. The forty men are to consist 

of ten of the handsomest fellows in each of the companies. 

The Sergeant of the Guard to-morrow morning is not to 
" suffer anybody into the Warren but such as shall appear 
" like gentlemen and ladies." 

February 7, 1752. " For the future when any man is 
'' discharged he is not to take his coat or hat with him, 
" unless he has worn them a year." 

April 6, 1752. " The officer of the Guard is for the future 
" to send a patrol through the town at any time he pleases 
*' between half an hour after ten at night and one in the 
" morning, with orders to the Corporal to bring prisoners all 
" the men of the Kegiment he finds straggling in the streets. 
" The Corporal is likewise to inspect all the alehouses, where 
" there are lights, and if there are any of the men drinking 
" in such houses, they are also to be brought to the Guard ; 
" but the patrol is by no means to interfere with riot or 
" anything that may happen among the town-people." 

April 20, 1752. "When any man is to be whipped by 
" sentence of a court-martial, the Surgeon, or his Mate, is to 
" attend the punishment." 

February 6, 1753. " The officers are to appear in Eegi- 
" mental hats under arms, and no others." 

February 19, 1753. "The officers appointed to inspect 
" the several squads are to review them once every week 
" for the future ; to see that every man has four good shirts, 
" four stocks, four pair of stockings, two pair of white, and 
" one pair of black spatterdashes, two pair of shoes, &c. ; 
" and that their arms, accoutrements, and clothes are in the 
" best order. What may be required to complete the above 
" number is to be reported to the commanding officer and 



148 Woolwich in the Olden Time. Chap. XI I 

" the Captains. The officers are likewise to see that the 
" men of their squads always appear clean and well-dressed 
*^ like soldiers ; and acquaint their Captains when they intend 
" to review them." 

February 20, 1753. " The Captains are to give directions 
" to their Paymasters to see that the initial letters of every 
" man's name are marked with ink in the collar of their shirts." 

April 5, 1753. " The Captains or commanding officers of 
" companies are not to give leave of absence to any of their 
" recruits or awkward men." 

April 29, 1753. " It is Colonel Belford's positive orders 
" that for the future, either the Surgeon or his Mate always 
" remain in quarters." 

May 23, 1753. " No non-commissioned officer or private 
" man to appear with ruffles under arms. 

June 15, 1753. "No man to be enlisted for the future 
" who is not full five feet nine inches without shoes, straight 
" limbed, of a good appearance, and not exceeding twenty- 
" five years of age." 

January 2, 1754. " No officer to appear under arms in a 
" bob-wig for the future." 

October 19, 1754. " When any of the men are furnished 
" with necessaries, their Paymasters are immediately to give 
" them account in writing of what each article cost." 

October 28, 1754. No Cadet is for the future to take 
" any leave of absence but by Sir John Ligonier, or the 
" commanding officer in ^[uarters." 

November 8, 1754. "In order that the sick may have 
" proper airing, one of the orderly Corporals is every day, 
" at such an hour as the Surgeon shall think proper, to 

collect all those in the Infirmary who may require airing, 

and when he has sufficiently walked them about the 
" Warren, he is to see them safe into the Infirmary. If any 
" sick man is seen out at any other time, they will be 
" punished for disobedience of orders." 

March 17, 1765. " All officers promoted, and those who 
" are newly appointed, are to wait on Colonel Belford with 
" their commissions as soon as they receive them." 



it 



€1 
It 

it 



Chap. XI r. Standing Orders^ &c. 149 

July 20, 1765. " If any orderly or other non-commis- 
sioned officer shall excuse any man from duty or exercise 
without his officer's leave, he will be immediately broke." 
August 1, 1755. " As there are bomb and fire-ship stores 
preparing in the Laboratory, the officers who are not ac- 
quainted with that service, and not on any other duty, will 
" please to attend, when convenient, for their improvement." 
August 8, 1755. "It is ordered that no non-commis- 
" sioned officer or soldier shall for the future go out of the 
" "Warren gate without their hats being well cocked, their 
^' hair well-combed, tied, and dressed in a regimental manner, 
" their shoes well blacked, and clean in every respect. . . . 
" And it is recommended to the officers and non-commis- 
" sioned officers, that if they at any time should meet any of 
" the men drunk, or not dressed as before mentioned, to send 
" them to the Guard to be punished." 

February 13, 1756. "The Captains are forthwith to 
" provide their respective companies with a knapsack and 
" haversack each man." 

February 16, 1756. " For the future, when any Eecruits 
" are brought to the Begiment, they are immediately to be 
" taken to the Colonel or commanding officer for his appro- 
" bation ; as soon as he has approved of them, they are 
" directly to be drawn for, and the officers to whose lot they 
" may fall are forthwith to provide them with good quarters, 
" and they are next day to be put to the exercise." 

March 16, 1756. "The Captains are to attend parade 
" morning and afternoon, and to see that the men of their 
" respective companies are dressed like soldiers before they 
" are detached to the guns." 

March 30, 1756. " It is recommended to the officers to 
" confine every man they see dirty out of the "Warren, or 
" with a bad cocked hat." 

March 31, 1756. " The officers are desired not to appear 
" on the parade for the future with hats otherwised cocked 
" than in the Cumberland manner." 

April 2, 1756. " It is the Duke of Marlborough's orders 
" that Colonel Belford writes to Captain Pattison to acquaint 



'5° 



Woolwich in the Olden Time. Chap, xil 



" General Bland tliat it is Hia Boyal Highneas'e commands 
" that the Artillery take the right of all Foot on all parades, 
" and likewise of dragoons when diamoanted." 

May 1, 1756. " It is Colonel Belford's orders that no 
" non-commiseioned officer, or private man, is to wear raffles 
" on their wrista when under arms, or any duty whatsoever 
" for the future." 

About this time, a camp was ordered to be formed at 
Byfleet, where the Maater-G-eneral of the Ordnance was 
preaent, and aa many of the Boyal Artillery aa could be 
spared. Most of the Ordnance for the camp went from the 
Tower, and the following disposition of the Artillery on 
the march from London to Byfleet may he found intereating. 

Advanced Guabd ; — Goosisting of 1 non-commiasioned officer 
and 12 matroaaes. 



Miners' Frout Guard: 
of 



Fruut Guard 

Eluven U4-|)ouDdcr8 

Ir'ourteon la-poiinders 

Twenty 6-pouiidcrB 

Six 3-poun(lew 

Six Iloyal lliinitzuni .. .. 
Forlj-lliree Ammunition Wag- 

gona 

Twenty-two Ammunilion Carta 
Two S]an! Carriages, and one 

Forge &iit 

Four Wnpgona, Inlrenchiog 

Tooli, Trianslo Gyn .. .. 
Twenty-aaveu Baggago-Wag^ons 
Ten I'ouUraua, aud one apare 

Carriage 

Itoar Guard 






I J 



Giving a total of 29 officers, 61 non-commissioned officer i 

57 gunners, 330 matrosses, 80 miners, 7 fifera, and 

drummers. 

This train of Artillery loft the Tower in July, and re- 



Chap. XI I. Camp at Byjleet. 1 5 1 

mained in Byfleet until October, practising experiments in 
mining, and the usual exercises of Ordnance, under the 
immediate eye of the Master-General himself, the Duke of 
Marlborough, who marched at the head of the train, and 
encamped with it. An interesting allusion to a custom long 
extinct appears in the orders relative to the camp. We find 
certain artificers detailed for the flag-gun lind the flag- 
waggon. The former was always one of the heaviest in the 
field ; and the custom is mentioned in 1722, 1747, and in 
India in 1750. Colonel Miller, in alluding to this custom 
in his valuable pamphlet, expresses his opinion that the 
flag on the gun corresponded to the Queen's colour, and that 
on the waggon to the Segimental colour, the latter probably 
bearing the Ordnance Arms. The guns had been divided 
into Brigades, corresponding to the modem Batteries. 
Four 24-pounders, five 12-pounders, five 6-pounders, and 
six 3-pounders, respectively, constituted a Brigade. The 
howitzers were in Brigades of three. The discipline insisted 
upon was very strict. Lights were not allowed even in the 
sutler's tents after ten o'clock ; no man was allowed to go 
more than a mile from camp without a pass ; oflicers were 
not allowed to appear in plain clothes upon any occasion ; 
strong guards were mounted in every direction, with most 
voluminous orders to obey, — orders which seem occasionally 
unreasonable. The Captain of the Guard had to see the 
evening gun fired, and was made " answerable for any acci- 
" dent that might happen " — a somewhat heavy responsi- 
bility, as accidents are not always within the sphere of 
control, where the executive oflicer's duties are placed. 
Whenever the weather was fine, all the powder was carefully 
aired, and all articles of equipment requiring repair were 
laid out for inspection. The powers of the commanding 
officers of companies in granting indulgences to their men 
were curtailed. No artificer was allowed to be employed at 
any time on any service but His Majesty's, without the leave 
of the Duke of Marlborough himself, or the commandant in 
the camp ; and should any officer excuse a man from parade 
he was to be put in arrest for disobedience of orders. 



152 Woolwich in the Olden Time. Chap. Xll 

Colonel Belford revelled in .the discipline of the camp. It 
brought back to his mind the old days in Flanders when he 
worked so hard to imbue his men with a strict military 
spirit, and, with *the Master-General by his side, he felt 
renewed vigour and keenness. The Begiment was attracting 
greater attention every year ; augmentations were continuous. 
The year before the Byfleet camp was formed, six companies 
had been added : this year there were three more ; and in 
1757, four additional companies were to be raised. The 
King had reviewed the Begiment, and the Duke of Cumber- 
land came to Woolwich every year to inspect and encourage. 
Who can tell whether the new organization of 1757, which 
divided the Begiment into Battalions and accelerated the 
stagnant promotion, did not come from the long days of 
intercourse at Byfleet between Colonel Belford and the 
Master-General ? The opportunities offered by such a meet- 
ing must have been priceless to a man who was so fond of 
his Begiment. Nothing is so infectious as enthusiasm ; and 
we learn from Colonel Belford's orders and letters that he 
was an enthusiastic gunner. The early History of the 
Begiment is marked by the presence, in its ranks of men 
eminent in their own way, and perfectly distinct in cha- 
racter, yet whose talents all worked in the same direction, 
the welfare of their corps. Who could be more unlike than 
Borgard and his successor. Colonel Belford? And yet a 
greater di^Terence is found between the scientific Desaguliers, 
and the diplomatic and statesman-like* Pattison, the model 
of a liberal-minded, high-spirited soldier. These four men 
are the milestones along the road of the Begiment's story 
from 1716 to 1783. They mark the stages of continuous 
progress; but there the parallel fails. For they were no 
stationary emblems. Their whole life was engrossed in 
their Begiment. To one, discipline was dear; to another, 
military science; to another, gunnery, and the laboratory; 
and they drew along with them in the pursuits they loved 
all those whose privilege it was to serve under them. It 
was in a small and distinct way a representation of what the 
Begiment in its present gigantic proportions would be, if 



Chap. XII. Repefiiafts. 153 



• / 



the Buggestions quoted in tne^o^m^ncement of this tokm^ 
were heartily adopted bj alfs^hd^belong to it.* iQ^i of the 
faded pages and musty yolinh^ ]|^hich line the walls of 
the Begimental Becord Office, there iBdGj0jB"tC^come*4i^^^y9i<^ 
from these grand old masters, "Be wortEy oTusi To 
them, their corps was everything ; to its advancement every 
taste or talent they possessed was devoted. With its in- 
creased proportions, there has now come an increased variety 
of tastes, of learning, and of accomplishments ; but the lives 
of our great predecessors in the corps read like a prayer over 
the intervening years, beseeching us all to work together for 
the Begiment's good. 

If variety of taste is to produce opposition in working, or 
dissipation of strength and talent, what a cruel answer the 
Present gives to the Past ! But, if it is to raise the Begi- 
ment in the eyes, not merely of military critics, but of that 
other world of science, across whose threshold not a few 
Artillerymen have passed with honour, then the variety of 
tastes working together, and yet independently — conducing 
to the one great end — is the noblest response that can be 
made to those who showed us in the Begiment's earliest days 
how to forget self in a noble esprit de corps. 



( 154 ) 



CHAPTER XIII. 



To 1755. 



A NUMBER of interesting events can be compressed into a 
-^ chapter, covering the period between the end of the 
war in Flanders and the year 1755. 

The dress and equipment of the Begiment underwent a 
change. In 1748, the last year of the war, the field staflfe of 
the gunners, their powder horns, slings, and swords, and the 
muskets of the matrosses were laid aside, and both ranks 
were armed with carbines and bayonets — thus paving the 
way for the step taken in the year 1783, when the distinction 
between the two ranks was abolished. The non-commissioned 
officers retained their halberds until 1754, when they were 
taken from the corporals and bombardiers, who fell into the 
ranks with carbines. In 1748, black spatterdashes were 
introduced into the Begiment, for the first time in any 
British corps. In 1750, the sergeants' coats were laced 
round the button-holes with gold looping, the corporals, 
bombardiers, and the privates having yellow worsted looping 
in the same way. The corporals and bombardiers had gold 
and worsted shoulder-knots; the surtouts were laid aside, 
and complete suits of clothing were issued yearly.^ 

At the end of the war, the Begiment consisted of ten 
companies, and for the first time, reliefs of the companies 
abroad were carried out, those at Gibraltar and Minorca 
being relieved by companies at Woolwich. The strength of 
the Begiment remained unchanged until 1755, when six 
new companies were raised, making a total of sixteen, exclu- 
sive of the Cadet company. 

The year 1751 was marked by several important Begi- 



I f* 



Cleavelaad'8 MSS. Macbcaii's MSS. 



Chap. XIII. Establishment of a Widows Fund. 155 

mental events. The father of the Regiment, old General 
Borgard, died ; and was succeeded by Colonel Belford. The 
vexed question of the Army rank of Artillery officers was 
settled by the King issuing a declaration under his Sign- 
Manual, retrospective in its effects, deciding "the rank of 
" the officers of the Boyal Begiment of Artillery to be the 
" same as that of the other officers of his Army of the same 
'' rank, notwithstanding their commissions having been 
" hitherto signed by the Master-General, the Lieutenant- 
" General, or the principal officers of the Ordnance, which 
" had been the practice hitherto." From this date all com- 
missions of Artillery officers were signed by the sovereign, 
and countersigned by the Master-General of the Ordnance. 

This year also saw the abolition of an official abuse dating 
back before the days of the Begiment's existence. Up to 
this time, all non-commissioned officers, gunners, matrosses, 
and even drummers, had warrants signed by the Master- 
General, and countersigned by his secretary, for which a 
sergeant paid 3/., a matross or drummer, \l, lOs., and the 
intermediate grades in proportion. 

This was now abolished, with great propriety, as an old 
MS. says, " as no one purpose appears to have been answered 
" by it, but picking of the men's pockets." Doubtless, there 
were in the Tower officials who would not endorse this state- 
ment ; and who were of opinion that a very material purpose 
was answered by it. 

In February of this year, also, the officers of the Begiment 
entered into an agreement for the establishment of a fund for 
the benefit of their widows, no such fund having as yet existed. 
Each officer agreed to subscribe three days' pay annually, 
and three days' pay on promotion; but this subscription 
apparently was felt to be too high, or it was considered 
proper that some assistance should be rendered to the fund 
by the Government, for in 1762 a Boyal Warrant was issued, 
directing one day's pay to be stopped from each officer for the 
Widows' Fund, and that one non-effective matross — in other 
words a 'pa'per man — should be mustered in each company, 
the pay of such to be credited to the fund. By this means 



156 71? 1755* Chap. XIII. 

it was hoped that the widow of a Colonel Commandant would 
obtain 50?. per annum ; of a Lieutenant-Colonel, 40?. ; of a 
Major, 30?. ; of a Captain, 25?. ; of a Lieutenant, Chaplain, or 
Surgeon, 20?. ; and of a Lieutenant-Fireworker, 16?. But, 
either the officers would not marry, or the married officers 
would not die, for in 1772 another warrant was issued, 
announcing that the fund was larger than was necessary, 
and directing the surplus to be given as a contingent to the 
Captains of companies. It is somewhat anticipating matters, 
but it may here be said that a few years later the officers of 
the Begiment again took the matter into their own hands, 
and formed a marriage society, membership of which was 
nominally voluntary, but virtually compulsory, until about 
the year 1850, after which it failed to receive the support of 
the corps, its rules not being suited to modern ideas. On 13th 
May, 1872, these rules were abrogated at a public meeting 
of the officers at Woolwich, and the society, with its accumu- 
lated capital of 50,000?., was thrown open on terms sufficiently 
modern and liberal to tempt all who had hitherto refrained 
from joining it. At that meeting, the original charter of the 
society, signed by the officers serving in the Begiment at 
the time, was submitted to their successors, and there was a 
dumb eloquence in the faded parchment with its long list 
of signatures, which it would be impossible to express in 
words. 

It has already been stated that Colonel Pattison and Major 
Lewis had been permitted to retire on full pay, on account 
of infirmity. The source from which their income was de- 
rived, and the use to which it was devoted after their death, 
can best be described in Colonel Miller's words : " To this 
" purpose there was appropriated the pay allowed for two 
" tinmen and twenty-four matrosses, the number of effective 
" matrosses being reduced from forty-four to forty in each 
** company, whilst forty-four continued to appear as the 
'' nominal strength. At the death of Jonathan Lewis, a 
" warrant dated 25th September, 1751, approved of the non- 
'* effectives being still kept up, and directed the sum of 
'' 273?. 158. a year {158. a day) then available to be applied 



tl 



Chap. XIII. JVeza Expeditions. 157 

" thus :— 173Z. 15s. to Colonel Belford (as colonel com- 
** mandant), and lOOZ. to Catherine Borgard, widow of 

Lientenant-General Albert Borgard, towards the support 

of herself and her two children, who were left unprovided 
" for. When Colonel Thomas Pattison died, a warrant 
" dated 27th February, 1753, directed that the annuity to 
" Mrs. Borgard should in future be paid out of another 
" source, and applied the balance of the fund derived from 
" the non-effective tinmen and matrosses to increasing the 
" pay of the fireworkers from 3s. to 3s. 8d. a day." 

" In 1763 the increased pay of the fireworkers was entered 
" in the estimates, and the pay of colonel commandant was 
" raised to 2Z. 4s. a day." 

During the period to which this chapter refers; a review 
of the Begiment by the King took place in the Green Park ; 
and as it was thought worthy of entry in General Macbean's * ' 
diary, and shows the way in which the Begiment was formed 
upon such an occasion, it may not be deemed out of place in 
this work. There were five companies present besides the 
Cadets, and the numbers were as follows: — Field oflGicers, 
three; Captains, five; Captain-Lieutenants, six; four first, and 
seven Second Lieutenants; Lieutenant-Fireworkers, seven- 
teen ; one Chaplain, one Adjutant, one Quartermaster, one 
Bridgemaster, one Surgeon and his Mate, fifteen Sergeants, 
fifteen Corporals, one Drum-Major, ten Drummers and 
six Fifers, forty Bombardiers, forty-eight Cadets, ninety- 
eight Gunners, and 291 Matrosses. The companies were 
formed up as a Battalion ; three light 6-pounders being on 
the flanks, and the Cadets formed up on the right as a 
Battalion. 

Although there was peace for England in Europe up to 
1755, there was no lack of expeditions elsewhere. Besides 
Jamaica and Virginia, which demanded guns and stores, 
ArtQlery was required for the East Indies and America. It 
was for service in the former country that the augmentation 
of four companies with an additional Major was made in 
March, 1755. 

They were raised and equipped in thirty days, and em- 



158 Zi? 1755- Chap. XIII. 

barked immediately, the Board giving permission to Major 
Chalmers, who was in command, to fill up any yacancies 
which might occur, by promoting the senior on the spot. 
These companies were in the pay of the East India Company, 
and formed part of the expedition under Clive and Admiral 
Watson. One of the companies was lost on the passage, 
only three men being saved. It was Captain Hislop's com- 
pany, but that officer had been promoted while serving in 
the East Indies, and it was commanded on the voyage by 
the Captain-Lieutenant, N. Jones. As soon as the disaster 
was known in England, another company was raised, and on 
its arrival in India Captain Hislop assumed the command. 
This officer had gone out with five officers, sixty men, and 
twelve cadets, and a small train of Artillery, attached to the 
39th B^giment, under Colonel Aldercon. His new company 
was the last of the Boyal Artillery establishment which 
served in Bengal, until the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny.^ 

The expedition to America was the ill-fated one com- 
manded by General Braddock. The detachment of Eoyal 
Artillery was only fifty strong ; it left England under the 
command of Captain-Lieutenant Eobert Hind, with two 
Lieutenants, three Fireworkers, and one cadet ; and on its 
arrival in America was joined by Captain Ord, who assumed 
the command. This officer had been quartered with his 
company at Newfoundland ; but at the request of the Duke 
of Cumberland he was chosen to command the Artillery on 
this expedition. The guns which accompanied the train 
were ten in number, all light brass guns — four being 12- 
pounders, and six 6-pounders. The civil attendants of the 
train were twenty-one in number, including conductors and 
artificers ; and there were attached to the train — attendants 
not generally found in such lists — " ten servants, and six 
"necessary women." There were also five Engineers, and 
practitioner Engineers. 

The melancholy fate of this expedition is well known. 
The detachment of Artillery was cut to pieces at Fort du 

* Brown. 



Chap. XIII. Regimental Changes. 159 

Quesne, on a ghastly July day in 1755; the whole ten 
guns were taken; but Captain Ord himself survived to do 
good service years after, on the American continent. It will 
be remembered by the reader that George Washington 
fought on this occasion on the English side, and displayed 
the same marvellous coolness and courage, as he showed on 
every subsequent occasion. 

But events were ripening at Woolwich for great Eegi- 
mental changes. A small subaltern's detachment left for 
Dublin, which was to be the parent of the Eoyal Irish 
Artillery, a corps which will form the subject of the next 
chapter. In 1756, a company of miners was formed for 
service in Minorca, which, on its return to Woolwich, was 
incorporated into the Begiment, and two other companies 
having been raised in the same year, and four additional in 
1757, there was a total, including the companies of miners 
and cadets, of twenty-four companies. The largely increased 
number of company officers, in proportion to the limited 
number of those in the higher grades, made the prospects of 
promotion so dismal, that the Begiment was divided into two 
Battalions, each of which will receive notice in subsequent 
chapters. 



( i6o ) 



CHAPTER XIV. 

The Eoyal Irish Artillery. 

rpHE Ordnance Department in Ireland was independent of 
■*■ that in England until the year 1674, when Charles 11., 
ayailing himself of the vacancy created by the death of the 
then Irish Master-General — Sir Kobert Byron — merged the 
appointment in that of the Master-General of England ; and 
the combined duties were first performed by Sir Thomas 
Ghicheley. This officer appointed, as his deputies in Ireland, 
Sir James Cuff and Francis Cuff, Esq. The Masters-General 
of the Irish Ordnance, whom we find mentioned after this 
date, were subordinate to the English Masters-General, in a 
way which had never previously been recognized. 

Even after the amalgamation, however, the accounts of the 
Irish and British Departments of the Ordnance were kept 
perfectly distinct. When ships were fitted out for service in 
the Irish seas, their guns and stores were furnished from the 
Irish branch of the Ordnance. All gunpowder for use in 
Ireland was issued by the English officials to the Irish 
Board on payment ; and the lack of funds, which was chronic 
at the Tower during the reigns of the Stuarts, was not 
unfrequently remedied by calling in the assistance of the 
Irish Board. Tenders for the manufacture of gunpowder 
having been received, and the orders then given having been 
complied with, it was no unusual thing to pay the merchants 
with Ordnance Debentures, and to ship the powder to Ireland 
in exchange for a money payment. The correspondence 
between the two Boards throws light upon the way in which 
money was found for the English fortifications, and also 
gives us the value of gunpowder at various times. For ex- 
ample, in August, 1684, one thousand barrels were shipped to 



Chap. XIV. Formation of a Battalion. 1 6 r 

Ireland; and the sum receiyed in payment — 2500Z. — was 
ordered to be spent on the fortifications at Portsmouth. 

Some of the debentures issued to the creditors of the 
English Ordnance, in lieu of money, were on security of the 
grounds in the City of London, called the Artillery Grounds, 
and carried interest at the rate of two per cent. : others were 
merely promissory notes issued by the Board, which bore no 
yery high reputation, nor were they easily convertible into 
money. From certain correspondence in the Tower Library, 
during the reigns of Charles II. and James II., it would 
appear that the Board could not be sued before the Law 
Courts for the amount of their debts ; — the letter-books of 
that period teeming with piteous appeals from the defrauded 
creditors. 

One unhappy man writes that in consequence of the 
inability of the Board to meet his claims, he " had undergone 
" extreme hardships, eyen to imprisonment, loss of employ- 
'^ ment, and reputation." Another in the same year, 1682, 
writes, that ^' he is in a very necessitous and indigent con- 
" dition, having not wherewithal to supply his want and 

necessity ; and he doth in all humility tender his miserable 

condition to your Honours' consideration." 

During periods of actual or expected disturbance in 
Ireland, stores for that country were often accumulated in 
Chester, and on the Welsh coast, ready for shipment ; from 
which it may be inferred, that the arrangements in Ireland 
for their safe keeping were inadequate. 

The formation of a battalion of Artillery on the Irish 
establishment was not contemplated until the year 1755, 
when, on the requisition of the Lord-Lieutenant, a party of 
twenty-four non-commissioned officers and men of the Boyal 
Artillery, under the command of a First Lieutenant, left 
Woolwich for Dublin, for that purpose. This detachment, 
having received considerable augmentation and a special 
organisation, was in the following year styled " The Artillery 
" Company in Ireland," the commissions of the officers being 
dated the Ist of April, 1756. The company consisted of a 
Major, a Captain, one First and one Second Lieutenant, 

VOL. I. M 



it 



1 62 Royal Irish Artillery. Chap. XIV 

three Lieutenant-Fireworkers, five Sergeants, five Corporals, 
one hundred and six Bombardiers, thirty-four Gunners, one 
hundred and two Matrosses, and two Drummers. The large 
number of Bombardiers suggests a special service, probably 
in the. bomb-vessels, for which this class was employed. 
Major Brownrigg, the commandant of the corps, was replaced 
in 1758, by Major D. Chevenix, from the 11th Dragoons. 
Two years later, the company was considerably increased^ 
and was styled the "Regiment of Royal Irish Artillery." 
It had now a Golonel-in-Chief, and another en seconde, a 
Lieutenant-Colonel commandant, a Major, four Captains, 
four First and four Second Lieutenants, and four Lieutenant- 
Fireworkers. The Masters-General of the Irish Ordnance 
were ex officio Colonels-in-Chief of the Irish Artillery. The 
following is a list of those who held this appointment 
during the existence of the corps : James, Marquis of Eil- 
dare, Richard, Earl of Shannon, Charles, Marquis of Dro- 
gheda, Henry, Earl of Carhampton, and the Hon. Thomas 
Pakenham. 

Reductions were made in the Regiment at the conclusion 
of peace in 1763, and again in 1766 ; but they were chiefly 
confined to weeding the Regiment of undersized men. In 
1774, the rank of Lieutenant-Fireworker was abolished, 
three years later than the same change had been made in 
England. In 1778, the Regiment was augmented from four 
to six companies, the total of the establishment being raised 
from 228 to 534 ; and from that date the senior first lieu- 
tenant received the rank of Captain-Lieutenant. A further 
addition of seventy-eight gunners raised the total to 612, 
and caused an increase in the number of officers, four Second 
Lieutenants being added in 1782. 

In August, 1783, an invalid company was added, consist- 
ing of a captain, first and second lieutenant, one sergeant, 
two corporals, one drummer, three bombardiers, four gunners, 
and thirty-nine matrosses, and with a few additions to the 
marching companies raised the establishment to 701. But 
in three months, a most serious reduction can be traced, 
not in the cadres, nor among the higher commissioned ranks, 



k 



Chap. XIV. Incorporated zoith Royal Artillery. 163 

but among the subalterns, and the rank and file, and the 
total fell to 386. 

By the monthly returns for October, 1783, we find that 
the title of matross, although retained in the invalid com- 
pany, was otherwise abolished; the private soldiers being 
now all designated gunners. From 1783 to 1789, the esta- 
blishment remained at 386 ; and in 1791, it was the same. 
The returns for the intermediate year have been lost. 

In 1793, recruiting on a large scale can be traced, and we 
find, that in October, 1794, by successive augmentations, the 
stablishment had reached a total of no less than 2069 of 
all ranks, organized into one invalid and twenty marching 
companies. By a King's letter, dated 20th May, 1795, these 
were constituted into two Battalions, the company of invalids 
remaining distinct. This gave an addition of thirteen Field 
and Staff Officers, and three Staff Sergeants, raising the total 
establishment from 2069 to 2085. Each company consisted 
of 100 of all ranks — except the invalid company, which re- 
mained at a total of fifty-three, until Ist October, 1800, when 
it was raised to 100 — and the strength of the Eegiment 
reached its maximum, 2132. 

This establishment continued, until the 1st of March, 
1801, when, in anticipation of the amalgamation with the 
Boyal Artillery, eight companies, with a proportion of Field 
Officers, were reduced, followed next month by a reduction 
of two more. 

On the 1st April, 1801, the remaining ton marching com- 
panies, with Field and Staff Officers, were incorporated with 
the Boyal Artillery, and numbered as the 7th Battalion of 
that corps. By General Order of 17th September, 1801, the 
invalid company was transferred to the battalion of invalids 
on the British establishment. 

It was a singular coincidence that the officer of the Boyal 
Artillery, who forty-six years before had left Woolwich to 
organize the first company of the Koyal Irish Artillery, 
should, on the amalgamation, have been the Colonel com- 
mandant of the new Battalion. Lieutenant-General Straton 
had proceeded, in May, 1755, to Ireland, for the former pur- 

VL 2 



1 64 Royal Irish Artillery. Chap. XI v. 

pose, and he rejoined the Boyal Artillery on the Ist April, 
1801, as Colonel commandant of the 7th Battalion. He died 
in Dublin on the 16th May, 1803, after a service of sixty-one 
years. 

At the time of the amalgamation, six of the companies 
were stationed in Ireland, and fonr in the West Indies. The 
Irish Artillery was not exempt from foreign service, and the 
conduct of the men abroad was as excellent as it always was 
during the times of even the greatest civil commotion. 
When, however, they left Ireland on service, their pay 
became a charge on the English Office of Ordnance ; and in 
the Eeturns from their own head-quarters we find that any 
men who might be in England, pending embarkation, were 
shown as " on foreign service." 

The first employment of the Irish Artillery abroad was 
during the American war. In March, 1777, seventy men 
embarked, under the command of an officer of the Boyal 
Artillery, and did duty with that corps in a manner which 
called forth the highest commendations from the officers 
under whom they served. The Master-General of the Ord- 
nance, Lord Townsend, in a letter to the officer commanding 
the Irish Artillery, dated 23rd of December, 1777, alludes to 
these men in the following terms: ''I am informed that 
" none among the gallant troops behaved so nobly as the 
" Irish Artillery, who are now exchanged, and are to return. 
" I am sorry they have suffered so much, but it is the lot of 
" brave men, who, so situated, prefer glorious discharge of 
" their duty to an Unavailing desertion of it." 

The conduct of the Irish Artillery, both in America and in 
the darkest period of their service, in the West Indies, con- 
trasts so strongly with that of the men enlisted in Ireland 
for the Boyal Artillery at the same time, that evidently the 
recruiting for the latter corps must have been grossly mis- 
managed, or, what is more probable, the national corps 
obtained with ease the best men, while the refuse of the 
country was left to the recruiting sergeants of the Boyal 
Artillery. In the correspondence of General Pattison, who 
at one period of the American war commanded the Boyal 



Chap. XIV. Foreign Service. 1 65 

Artillery on that continent, the langnage employed in de- 
scribing the recruits enlisted in Ireland, and sent to join the 
3rd and 4th Battalions in America, would be strong in 
any one, but is doubly so, coming from an officer always 
most courteous in his language, and by no means given to 
exaggeration. 

Three companies of the Irish Artillery embarked for the 
Continent in 1794, and seryed in Flanders and the Nether- 
lands, under the Duke of York. But, as has already been 
hinted, the most seyere foreign service undergone by the 
corps was in the West Indies. In 1793, three companies 
embarked for these islands, and took honourable part during 
the following year, in the capture of Martinique, Guadaloupe, 
and St. Lucia, as well as in the more general operations. 

Their strength, on embarkation, had been 15 Officers and 
288 non-commissioned officers and men. In less than two 
years, only forty-three of the men were alive, and of the 
officers, only four returned to Europe. It accordingly be- 
came necessary to reinforce the companies by drafts from 
Ireland; and in addition to these, two other companies 
sailed in the winter of 1795; thus bringing the total 
strength serving in the West Indies to 500 of all ranks. In 
less than two years, a further reinforcement of 176 officers, 
non-commissioned officers, and men, was found necessary to 
repair the ravages of the climate upon the troops ; and ap- 
parently further drafts in the following year were only 
avoided, by transferring the head-quarters of one of the com- 
panies to the home establishment, and absorbing the men in 
the others. Four of the companies were still in the West 
Indies, when the amalgamation took place. 

Certain details connected with the organization of the 
Irish Artillery, immediately prior to their incorporation with 
the Eoyal Artillery, remain to be mentioned. On the 19th 
September, 1798, Lord Carhampton, then Master-General of 
the Irish Ordnance, notified to the officer commanding the 
corps, that the formation of the Artillery in Ireland into 
Brigades had been decided upon ; the Brigades to be distin- 
guished as heavy and light. The establishment of a Heavy 



1 66 Royal Irish Artillery. Chap. XIV 

Brigade was to include four medium 12-pounders, and two 
5i-inch howitzers : — of a Light Brigade, four light 6-pounder 
Battalion guns. The former was to be manned by forty- 
eight non-commissioned officers and men, the latter by 
thirty-seven— of the Eegiment ; while the guns and waggons 
were to be horsed and driven by the Driver Corps. This 
improved organization superseded the system of Battalion 
guns; for while, in September, 1798, one hundred of the 
Irish Artillery were returned as being attached to these, in 
November only thirty-seven were so employed; in the 
following January, only four ; and in March, 1799, all were 
finally withdrawn. The additional gunners from the Militia, 
who had, at the date of the new organization, been 213 in 
number, were gradually reduced by its operation, and in 
the monthly return for September, 1799, they disappear 
altogether. 

It was at first proposed that the 12-pounders and the 
howitzers of the Heavy Brigades should be drawn by four 
horses, and the 6-pounders of the Light Brigades by three ; 
but subsequently a 4i-inch howitzer having been added to 
each Light Brigade, the number of horses to each gun was 
apparently increased from three to four, and the total number 
of horses to each Heavy Brigade was seventy- three ; — to each 
Light Brigade, fifty-one. The "two leading horses were 
" ridden by Artillerymen, and the gun was driven by a 
driver." ^ This arrangement applied also to the ammunition 
waggons. The harness-maker, wheeler, and smith, ea<;h 
rode a spare horse with harness on. 

While the guns had four horses, the howitzers in Heavy 
Brigades had but three, and in Light Brigades only a pair. 
The Driver Corps furnished to each Heavy Brigade 1 officer, 
1 quartermaster, 3 non-commissioned officers, and 26 privates ; 
to each Light Brigade, 5 non-commissioned officers and 14 
privates. For the information of the general reader, it may 
bo stated that the Brigades of the Irish Artillery were 
analogous to the present Field Batteries ; the modern Brigade 



MS in T^oyal Artillery Record Office. 



Chap. XIV. Divisions, Dress, &c, 167 

of Artillery meaning a number of Batteries linked together 
for administrative purposes. 

In Januarys 1799, there were twenty-five Brigades in 
Ireland, and at this point they remained until the amalga- 
mation with the Koyal Artillery. Although it is not probable 
that they were all horsed at that date, there were no 
less than 1027 officers and men at the appointed stations of 
the Brigades, and in the language of an old document in the 
Boyal Artillery Kecord Office, " the New Irish Field Artillery 
" had not only form, but consistency." 

In addition to these Brigades of Field Artillery, the 
Begiment was divided into detachments — generally eight in 
number, — stationed in the chief harbours, garrisons, and 
forts, for service with heavy ordnance. The invalid com- 
pany was scattered over the country, many of the non- 
commissioned officers and men being totally unfit for service. 
The Eegiment was actively employed in the field during the 
K^bellion ; " and it must be recorded to the honour of the 
" Royal Irish Eegiment of Artillery, th^t though exposed to 
" every machination of the disaflfected, and to the strongest 
*' temptations, they preserved throughout an unsullied 
" character, and manifested on all occasions a true spirit of 
" loyalty, zeal, and fidelity to His Majesty's service and 
" Government."^ 

The dress of the Eoyal Irish Artillery was as follows: 
— Blue coat with scarlet facings, cuflF and collar gold em- 
broidered; yellow worsted lace being used for all beneath 
the rank of corporal; gold-laced cocked hat, black leather 
cockade, white cloth breeches, with short gaiters and white 
stockings in summer, and long gaiters in winter. The non- 
commissioned officers and men wore their hair powdered and 
clubbed. In 1798 jackets were introduced according to the 
pattern adopted for the Army ; and the gold lace was removed 
from the cocked hats. 

At the date of the amalgamation the Begiment was armed 
with cavalry carbines, — the bayonet and pouch, containing 



* MS. in Koyal Artillery Uecord Oflice. 



1 68 Royal Irish Artillery. Chap. XIV. 

from sixteen to eighteen rounds, being carried on the same 
belt. A cross belt was also worn to which the great-coat 
was suspended, resting on the left hip. At an earlier period, 
the Begiment had been armed with long Queen Anne's fusils^ 
which were replaced, when worn out, by arms of various 
patterns, until at length the cayalry carbine was adopted. 

One cannot but be struck — in studying the history of this 
national corps of Artillery — with the rapidity of its formation, 
and its attainment of high discipline and professional know- 
ledge, — keeping pace in its career of half a century with the 
constant changes, with which eyen in those days this arm 
was harassed ; nor can one read without pride and interest 
those pages of loyalty at home, gallantry on service abroad, 
and patient endurance under suffering and disease in the 
West Indies, — at once as fatal as active war, and yet destitute 
of the excitement which in war enables the soldier willingly 
to undergo any hardship. 



( i69 ) 



CHAPTER XV. 



First Battalion. — The History and Present Designation 

OF THE Companies. 

TN the beginning of the year 1757, the Begiment consisted 
^ of nineteen companies, with four field officers. On the 
2nd April four additional companies were added, giving a 
total of twenty-four companies, indnsiye of the Cadet Com- 
pany. 

But there was no organization in existence corresponding 
to the Battalion, or present Brigade, system. The number 
of company officers was yery great, being no less than 140 
at the end of 1756 ; and as there were only four field officers, 
the prospect of promotion to the younger men was yery 
disheartening. By introducing the Battalion system, and 
dividing the companies in some way which should give an 
excuse for an augmentation in the higher ranks, stagnation 
would be less immediate, and discontent among the junior 
ranks postponed. Charles, Duke of Marlborough, being then 
Master-General, approved of this change, and the Begiment 
was on the 1st August, 1757, divided into two Battalions, 
each having three field officers, and a separate staff. The 
strength of the Begiment, after this change had been intro- 
duced, was as follows : — 

No. of Companies, 24 : — 
One Coloncl-in-Chief, and one en Seconde 



Field Officers .. •• 

Captains and Captain-Lieutenants 

Subaltern Officers 

Chaplaio 

Medical Officers 

Bridge-master .. 

Adjutants 

Carried forward 



6 
48 
117 
1 
3 
I 
2 

180 



70 First Battalio7i. 






Chap. XV 


R rough t forward 








180 


Quartermasters . . 








2 


Gentlemen Cadets 








48 


Non-commissioned Officers 








322 


Gunners 








460 


Matrosses 








1472 


Drummers and Fifers .. 








47 


Total 


• • 


• • 


• « 


2531 



The recruiting of Battalions was always carried on by means 
of parties scattered over England and Scotland, but the men 
so obtained were liable to be transferred to other Battalions, 
whose wants might be greater. This system, which still 
obtains, prevents, and perhaps wisely, any great Battalion, 
or Brigade es'prit de corps. The real esprit should be for the 
Regiment first, and then for the Battery. The organization, 
by whatever name it may be called, which links a certain 
number of Batteries together for special purposes, has never 
been allowed the official respect which is paid to the Batta- 
lion system in the Infantry. In the absence of such respect, 
and in the knowledge that the men who might receive their 
instruction in one Brigade or Battalion were liable to transfer 
to another, immediately on the completion of their drills, is 
to be found the reason why both in the days of Battalions 
and Brigades there has been no esprit found strong enough 
to weaken that which should exist in every Artilleryman's 
mind for his Begiment at large, instead of for a detail of it. 
At the same time, the transfer system can be carried to an 
injurious extent. The instruction of recruits is more likely 
to be thorough, if the instructor feels that h^ himself is 
likely to retain under his command those whom hOy^ducates. 
The consciousness that the " Sic vos non vobis " system is to 
be applied to himself must diminish to a certain extent his 
zeal in instruction. And therefore while no one should be 
allowed to imagine that his own Battery or his own Brigade 
is to be considered before the Begiment at large, there can 
be no doubt that the Depot system for feeding the Regi- 
mental wants is far less cruel than that by which volunteers 



Chap. XV. Its strength, 1 7 1 

are called, or transfers ordered, from one portion of the 
Begiment to another. 

The establishment of the 1st Battalion varied very much 
with the signs of the times. Before the Peninsular War, 
its greatest strength was in 1758, the year after its forma- 
tion, when it consisted of 13 companies, and a total of 1383 
of all ranks. In 1772, it fell to 8 companies, with a total 
of 437 ; but during the American War of Independence, it 
reached a total of 1259, divided into 11 companies. After 
the peace of 1783, it was again reduced, falling to a total of 
648, in ten companies. During the Peninsular War, the 
average strength of the Battalion was 1420, the number of 
companies remaining the same; but as only one company 
of the Battalion served in the Peninsula, its increased 
numbers were evidently intended to assist in feeding the 
companies of other Battalions. After Waterloo it was greatly 
reduced, and for the next thirty years, its average strength 
was 700, in 8 companies. In 1846, it rose to a total of 842, 
and on the outbreak of the War with Kussia, in which no 
fewer than jBve companies of the Battalion were engaged, 
further augmentations took place, the totals standing during 
the war as follows : in 1854, 1208 ; in 1855, 1336 ; and in 
1856, 1468. 

The names of the various Captains who have successively 
commanded the companies of the 1st Battalion, down to the 
introduction of the Brigade system, and the new nomencla- 
ture in 1859, are given in the following pages, as far as the 
state of the Battalion Eecords will admit. The list of 
the various military operations in which they were severally 
engaged is also given ; and the names which the companies 
received at the reorganization referred to. It has been 
thought advisable to give this now in a short but complete 
form, but in studying the various campaigns, the services of 
the companies alluded to will occasionally receive more 
detaired notice. 

It is to be remembered that the history of these companies 
is the legitimate property of the Batteries, which represent 
them. It is hoped that the publication of their antecedents 



172 



First Battalion. 



Chap. XV. 



in this way will not merely interest those in any way con- 
nected with them, but will create a feeling of pride which 
will materially aid discipline, and check negligence. It is 
believed that with such a past to appeal to as many of the 
Batteries will find they have, a commander will find a weapon 
in dealing with his men more powerful than the most penal 
code, for in each line there seems to be a voice speaking from 
the dead, and urging those who are, to be worthy of those 
who have been. 



No. 1 COMPANY, l8t BATTALION, 

Now "F" BATTERY, 9th BRIGADE. 



BaUk«. Sieges, and other Military operationa in 
whkh the GumpaDy baa been engaged. 



1796 Expedition to Saint Domingo. 

1809 Expedition from Jamaica to 
Saint Domingo. 

1854 Expedition to Crimea, and siege 
of Sebastoix)!. 



List of Captains who bare snocesFively com- 
manded tbe Ck)mpany, an far aa can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1757 


Captaii] 

• 


L Robert Hind. 

* * 


1779 


Captaii 


I David Scott. 


1788 


9> 


S. P. Adye. 


1790 


9» 


William Cuppage. 


1790 


9» 


John Kogers. 


1796 


19 


Wiltsliiie Wilson. 


1797 


99 


George F. Koeliler. 


1801 


II 


Thomas Francklin. 


1805 


91 


Thomas B. P. 




Hardy. 


1814 


Captaii 
Bart. 


I Sir Uy. Onslow, 


1817 


Captain 


I John Taylor. 


1821 


99 


George Cobbe. 


1829 


19 


George J. Belson. 


1841 


99 


Lewis E. Walsh. 


1842 


99 


C. B. Symons. 


1848 


99 


J. W. Collington. 


1851 


99 


George Graydon. 


1856 


99 


George Colclough. 


1859 


99 


S. Freeling. 


1859 


99 


J. F. Pennycuick. 



Chap, XV. ".5" Battery, ist Brigade. 



No. 2 COMPANY, Ist BATTALION, 



Now «B" BATTEBY, 1st BRIGADE. 



173 



B«Uks, Sieges, and other Militaiy uperotlons In 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1793 Action of St. Amand, 8tli May. 

1793 Si^ of ValcDciennes. 

1793 Battle of Lincelles on 18th 

August. 

1794 Battle of Cambray on 24th 

April. 

1794 Battles of Ostend on 5th May. 

1794 Battle of Tournay on 10th, 
18th, and 22nd May. 

1797-1801 Detachments of the Com- 
pany serred on board the 
Bombs. 

1804 Ditto. 

1805 Expedition to Hanover. 

1807 Siege of Copenhagen. 

1809 Battle of Talavera on 27th 

July. 

1810 Battle of Almeida on 27th 

August. 

1812 Siege of Burgos on 20th Octo- 

ber. 

1813 Siege of Saint Sebastian. 

1855 Expedition to Crimea, and siege 
ofSebastopol from June 1855. 



List of Captaina who have tnoopssi vely com- 
manded the C(»mpany, as far back aa c«in 
be traced, down to iiitrodnction of Brl^ide 
Syiitem, in 1869. 



1771 Captain Thomas Simpson. 
1774 ^ Agar Weetman. 



n 



1782 


»i 


Edward Abbott. 


1782 


}9 


Thomas Hosmer. 


1793 


)9 


Jesse Wright 


1793 


»» 


George Glasgow. 


1794 


W 


James Winter. 


1705 


»» 


Henry Shrapnel. 


1803 


99 


Josh. W. Tobin. 


1807 


»l 


John May. 


1815 


}> 


James Lloyd. 


1819 


»» 


John Chester. 


1825 


99 


John C. Petley. 


1834 


9* 


Charles Dal ton. 


1834 


9f 


John W. Spellen. 


1836 


>» 


P. W. Lawlor. 


1838 


99 

son. 


Thomas R. Cook 


1839 


Captain George Charletou. 


1840 


99 


Hugh Morgan. 


1843 


99 


W. W. D'Arley. 


1851 


99 


J. K. Domvile. 


1852 


99 


F. A. Campbell. 


1855 


99 


H. P. Newton. 


1858 


99 


G. H. A. Forbes. 

• 



174 



First Battalion. 



Chap. XV 



No. 3 COMPANY, 1st BATTALION, 

Now " 7 " BATTEKY, 2nd BKIGADE. 



Battlen. Sieges, and other Military operations in 
which the (>>mp«uiy baa been engaged. 



List of Captains who have 8Ucoe«»ivpIy com- 
manded the Company, aa far baclc a:i can 
be tract-d, down to introductiun of Brigade 
System, in lti59. 



1779 Taking of Saint Lucia. 


1769 


Captain 


John Williamson. 


1779 In the Island of Grenada ; a 


1782 


»i 


Simon Parry. 


Detachment taken prisoners. 


1785 


>» 


William Grant. 


1793-1795 A Detachment served with 


1785 


i» 


Thomas Blome- 


the Army on the Expedition 




field. 




to Holland. 


1793 


Captain 


L Charles Tern)tt, 


1797-1801 Detachments of this Com- 


1800 


»f 


John Quayle. 


pany served on board the 


1806 


>i 


Henry Deacon. 


Bombs. 


1807 


>i 


James Armstrong. 


1801 Taking of Madeira. 


1825 


*» 


W. M. a. Cole- 


1809 Expedition from Jamaica to 




brooke. 


Saint Domingo. 


1837 


Captain 


i W. C. Anderson. 


1^ 55 Expedition to Crimea, and siege 


1846 


i» 


Charles J* Dalton. 


of Sebastopol, from June, 


1854 


i» 


Miller Clifford. 


1855. 









No. 4 COMPANY, 1st BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTEEY, 5th BKIGADE. 



1759 Battle of Minden. 

1796 General Doyle's Expedition to 

the Isle of Dieu on the 

French coast. 
1804 Detachments served on board 

the Bombs. 



1759 
1781 
1781 
1793 
1795 

1802 
1802 
1804 
1820 
1820 
1821 



Captain David Hay. 

Alexander Dickson. 
Jesse Wright 
Thomas Hosmer. 
Archibald Rober- 



>9 



M 



n 



9> 

ton. 
Captain Robert Lawson. 

Thomas Downman. 
H. M. Farrington. 
Thomas J. Harrison. 
Henry Light 
James P. St Clair. 



99 



91 



91 



99 



19 



Chap. XV. " 4 " Battery, i^tk Brigade. 



175 



U Q»» 



3 " Battery^ 5ih Brigade continued — 



B&ttlen, Siegca» and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 


Llet of Captains who have snccftsaively com- 
manded the Company, as far back as can 
be trao^, down to iniruduction of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 


» 


1822 


Captain 


I Henry Light. 




1823 


»» 


Thomas Van Strau- 






benzec. 




1826 




Charles E. Gordon. 




1839 




W. H. Bent. 




1846 




George Samlham. 




1852 




R. Blackwood Price. 




1854 




Barclay Lawsou. 



No. 5 COMPANY, Ist BATTALION, 

Now "4" BATTEKY, 13th BRIGADE. 



1759 
1793 
1793 
1794 
1794 
1794 
1797- 

1799 
1801 

1805 
1858 



Battle of Minden. 
Siege of Valenciennes. 
Battle of Lincelles. 
Battle of Cambray. 
Battle of Ostend. 
Battles of Toumay. 
-1800 Detachment served on 

board the Bombs. 
Expedition to the Helder. 
Battle of Alexandria, and other 

actions in Egypt.* 
Expedition to Hanover. 
India during the Mutiny. 



N.B. This Company formed part of the 
Army of Occupation in France, 1815- 
1818. 

* By General Orders of 31st October 
and 1st November, 1803, the Officers, 
non-commissioned Officers, and Men of 
this Company were permitted to wear 
the " Sphynx " and " Egypt," on their 
Regimental Caps ; but the distinction 
was a personal one, and not granted to 
the companies to be perpetuated. 



1758 


CaptAin William Phillips. 


1759 


» 


George Charleton. 


1766 


>i 


Griffith Williams. 


1779 


»> 


Alexander J. Scott. 


1779 


» 


Francis Down man. 


1781 


>t 


Jesse Wright. 


1782 


»» 


Thomas Brady. 


1782 


if 


Alexander Dickson. 


1782 


»l 


Richard Chapman. 


1783 


i> 


James Frost. 


1783 


i> 


John D. Goll. 


1790 


>» 


James Winter. 


1794 


)9 


William Borthwick. 


1795 


l> 


William Mudge. 


1802 


)* 


George B. Fisher. 


1803 


»l 


George Scott. 


1803 


>l 


William Leake. 


1803 


l> 


IHirtliflf Boger. 


1806 


99 


John Dyer. 


1812 


99 


Richard Jones. 


1814 


99 


Stephen Kirby. 


1815 


99 


William Lloyd. 


1825 


99 


Alfred Thompson. 


1828 


99 


Jno. W. Spellen. 


1834 


9» 


Charles Dal ton. 


1844 


99 


Alexander Tulloh. 


1849 


99 


G. J. L. Buchanan. 


1854 


99 


John Debborough. 



176 



First Battalion. 



Chap. XV. 



I 



No. 6 COMPANY, Ist BATTALION, 

Now " 6 " BATTEEY, 2nd BEIGADE. 



Rattlfw, Slegpft, and other Military operatkms In 
which the Company has been engaged. 


Lint of Captains who have suoccsai^-ely com- 
manded the CoropAny, as for back as can 
be traced, down to introduction ot Brigade 
System, in 1459. 


' 




• 


* * 




1771 Captain David Standish. 




1780 


ft 


Thomas Brady. 




1782 


ft 


Francis Down man. 


This Company served during the 


1790 


ft 


John Smith. 


American War of Independence, but 


1795 


tt 


Greorge Scott. 


the actions in which it was engaged 


1796 


ft 


Robert King. 


cannot be traced with precision. 


1802 


ft 


Francis Rey. 




1808 


ft 


Charjes H. Godby. 




1815 


ft 


William Lloyd. 


1855 Expedition to Crimea, and siege 


1815 


tf 


Stephen Kirby. 


of Sebastopol, from June, 


1819 


ft 


William Cleeve. 


1855. 


1826 


ft 


Christopher Clarke. 




1828 


ft 


Hassei R. Moor. 




1838 


ft 


John R. Homsby. 




1840 


ft 


Henry Stanway. 




1846 


ft 


Francis Dick. 


• 


1851 


ft 


G. J. Beresford. 




1852 


ft 


Henry Aylmer. 




1854 


ft 


A. F. F. Lennox. 



No. 7 COMPANY, lat BATTAUON, 

Now "4" BATTEEY, 5th BRIGADE. 



1776 Action on Lake Champlain, in 




* 


* * 


America. 


1763 


Captain John Carter. 


1794 Battles of Cambray, Ostend, and 


1768 


ft 


William Gostling. 


Toumay. 


1779 


tf 


Thomas Hosmer. 


1797 Detachments of this Company 


1780 


ft 


Stephen P. Adyo. 


served on board the Bombs. 


1782 


tf 


Edward Abbott. 


1799 Expedition to the Helder. 


1788 


ft 


C. F. Scott. 


1801 Battle of Alexandria.* 


1788 


tf 


David Scott. 


1807 Siege of Copenhagen. 


1791 


ft 


George Wilson. 


1815 Surrender of Guadaloupe. 


1794 


ft 


George Bowatcr. 




1799 


ft 


John Lemoine. 




1802 


ft 


Andrew Schalch. 


* Bj General Orders of 31st October, 


1803 


ft 


Percy Drummond. 


and Ist November, 1803, the Officers, 


1803 


ft 


Benjamin Fen wick 



Chap. XV. ''A " Battery, i \th Brigade. 



11 



4 " Battery, bth Brigade continued — 



Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
whidi the Company has been engaged. 



non-cominissioned Officers, and Men of 
this Company were permitted to wear 
the ** Sphynx," with ** Egypt," on their 
Regimental Caps ; but the distinction 
was a personal one, and not given to the 
companies to be perpetuated. 



List of Captains who have snccnnlvely com- 
manded the Cumpany. as far luck a« can 
1>e traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
Sy«iem, in 1859. 









1801 


Caj.t 


. Geor;;e Forstcr. 


1806 


)> 


Oliver Fry. 


1805 


tj 


Charles Egnn. 


1806 


» 


James P. Cockbiirn. 


1813 


» 


Richard S. Broujjli. 


1822 


It 


J. W. Kettlewell. 


1832 


>i 


Forbes Machcan. 


1837 


9t 


II. G. Jackson. 


1840 


»> 


W. W. Story. 


1847 


ft 


Hon. R. F. Handcock 


184S 


» 


lleury A. Turner. 


1855 


9i 


II. P. Newton. 


ISfM 


»t 


F. A. Canipholl. 



No. 8 COMPANY, 1st BA'J'TALION*, 

Now " A " BATTERY, 1 Ith BRIGADE. 



1759 Battle of Minden. 




1759 


f'apt 


. Forbes Macbfan. 


1796 Surrender of Demerara, 


FiSsc- 


1780 


>» 


Thomas Blomcfn Id. 


quibo, and Berbico. 




1785 


»♦ 


William Grant 


1796 Taking of Saint Lucia. 




1794 


♦♦ 


John Arbuthnot. 


1803 The next capture of tlio above 


1796 


»» 


Lawrence H. Newton. 


Islands, &c. 




1803 


»» 


John Sheldrake. 


1809 Capture of Martinique. 




1804 


•» 


Charles Keane. 


1810 Surrender of Ouadaloupc. 




1813 


»i 


Ed ward C. Whinyates. 


1815 Surrender of Guadaloupe. 




1813 


•» 


William N. Ramsav. 

• 


1855 Expedition to Crimea, and 


siege 


1814 


yi 


George Jenkinson. 


of Sebastopol. 




1814 


»» 


Henry Light. 


1858 East Indies during the Mn 


itiny. 


1815 


»j 


George Cobbe. 






1810 


»» 


T. A. Brandreth. 


N.B. At the redaction in 181C 


>, the 


1828 


•» 


James Fogo. 


Men of a company of the 10th Battalion 


1841 


t» 


R. G. B. Wilson. 


were drafted into this company. 




1843 


»» 


J. M. Savagi'. 






1852 


)* 


n. W. Pack Beresford. 






1854 


»» 


A. F. Connell, who 








held the command until 








the introduction of Bri- 


• 






gade System. 


VOL. I. 








N 



( 178 ) 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The Second Battalion. — The History and Present 
Designation op the Companies. 

T70EMED in 1757, at the same time as the 1st Battalion, 
^ the 2nd Battalion at first included companies in all 
parts of the world — the East Indies, America, Gibraltar, and 
England. The Cadet Company belonged to it, and was one 
of the twelve which constituted the Battalion ; but in 1758 
another service company was added, making it, in respect of 
service companies, equal to the 1st Battalion. 

Its strength in 1758 amounted to a total of 1385, divided 
into thirteen companies. This strength was reduced in the 
following year by the transfer of three companies to assist 
in the formation of the 3rd Battalion. One company was 
again added in 1761, and two taken away when the 4th 
Battalion was formed in 1771. During the American War 
two companies were again added, and the greatest strength 
of all ranks was 1145. In 1793 and 1794 it approached 
1300 ; and during the Peninsular War its average strength 
was 1460. While the Crimean War lasted the Battalion con- 
sisted of eight companies, and its strength was as follows : — 
In 1854, 1216; in 1855, 1344; and in 1856, 1480. 

The distinctive mark of this Battalion was the fact, that 
the only Artillery present during the memorable siege of 
Gibraltar belonged to it. 

The early services of the companies are difficult to trace. 
One company, under Captain Hislop, was present at the 
defence of Fort St. George, Madras, when besieged by the 
French, in October, 1758. In November of the same y^ar a 
company of the Battalion, under Captain P. Innes, embarked 
with General Barrington's expedition, for the attack of the 
Island of Martinique. This expedition was unsuccessful, but 



Chap. XVI. '* 7 " Battery^ %\st Brigade. 



179 



the troops were then ordered against Gnadalonpe, which was 
taken on Ist May, 1759. In February, 1759, the siege of Port 
St. George was raised by the French, Captain Hislop's 
Company receiving great praise for its conduct during the 
defence. 



No. ,1 COMPANY, 2nd BATO ALIGN, 

Now " 7 " BATTERY, 2l8t BRIGADE. 



BattlM, Sieges, and other MUitary operaUons in 
wbidi the Company has been engaged. 



1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 

1801 Detachments in Egypt, present 

at Battle of Alexandria, and 

later actions. 
1809 ExptKiition to Walchercn. 



List of -Captains who have nicoesBlvely oom- 
manded the ComiMiny, as far back as can 
be traced, down tu introduction of Brigade 
System, In 1859. 





41 


• * 


1782 


Captain Joseph Eyre. 


1782 


»» 


Charles Abbott 


1793 


♦» 


James M. Hadden. 


1793 


»» 


James Boag. 


1800 


»» 


Thomas Charleton. 


1806 


»♦ 


Joseph D'Arcy. 


1825 


»» 


Eichard T. King. 


1837 


»» 


Charles Manners. 


1840 


»» 


Charles H. Nevett. 


1848 


»» 


C. J. Wright. 


1855 


»♦ 


M. A. S. Biddulph. 



No. 2 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, 

Now " 2 " BATTERY, 12th BRIGADE. 

17C1 Siege of Belleislc. 

1770-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 

1801 Detachments in Egypt, present 

at Battle of Alexandria, and 

later actions. 
1810-1812 Cadiz, during siege. 
1812 Carthagena, and operations in 

South of Sjniin. 



1782 


Captain Philip Martin. 


1783 




Edward Stephens. 


1794 




William Bentham. 


1795 




William Collier. 


1796 




Daniel Gahan. 


1802 




Robert Wright. 


1806 




Patrick Campbell. 


18 'J5 


»» 


Robert S. Douglas. 


1831 




Peter D. Stewart. 


1841 




W. H. Hennis. 


1850 




W. B. Gardner. 


1855 




A. E. H. Anson. 
N 2 



i8o 



Second Battalion. 



Chap. XV^I. 



No. 3 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, 

Now " 7 " BATTEEY, lOth BEIGADE. 



Battles, Sieget, and other If Uiury operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



List of Captains who have snooessiyely oom- 
mandod the Oompnny, as far as can be 
traced, down to intn^iuctiun of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 

1809 Detachments served in Expe- 
dition against St. Domingo. 

1854 Detachments furnished for siege 
of Sebastopol. 



* 


* * 


1782 Captain George Groves. 


1782 


Alexander Shand. 


1793 


James Butler. 


1794 


Edward Stehelin. 


1801 


William Dixon. 


1808 


Marcus Roe. 


1810 


Dugald Campbell. 


1828 


Zachary C. Bayly. 


1836 


Daniel Bissett. 


1837 


John M. Stephens. 


1837 


Edmund Sheppard 


1839 


William Lemoine. 


1840 


G. James. 


1840 


T. 0. Cater. 


1847 


G. Gambier. 


1850 


T. A. Shone. 


1852 


K. H. Crofton. 


1856 


J. C. Childs. 



No. 4 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, 

Now " D " BATTERY, Ist BRIGADE. 



1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 



1801 Detiichnicuts in Egypt, present 
at battle of Alexandria, and 
later actions. 

1854 Ex|)edition to Crimea, and siege 
of Srlwstopol, from December, 
1854. 



\ 





« 


* * 


1772 


Captain Vauglian Lloyd. 


1782 


»> 


Robert Garstin. 


1793 


sun. 


Henry T. Thom- 


1801 


Captaii 


1 Ralph W. Adye. 


1803 


»» 


J. Vivion. 


1816 


» 


James E. Grant. 


1817 


>» 


Robert H. Birch. 


1825 


f» 


Henry W. Gordon. 


1837 


f> 


James S. Law. 


1842 


>» 


W^illiam Eraser. 


1848 


♦» 


Henry Poole. 


1852 


»» 


S. D. Broughton. 


1857 


f> 


D. S. Greene. 


1857 


•« 


R. K. Freeth. 



Chap. XVI. 



a 



8 " Battery^ ^rd Brigade. 



i8i 



No. 5 COMPANY. 2nd BATTALION, 

Now " 8 " BATTEEY, 3rd BRIGADE. 



Battles, Sipges, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1779-1783 Siege of Gibraltar. 

1809 Detachments served in Expe- 
dition against St. Domingo. 



Ll«t of Captains who have snocessively com* 
manded ttie Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to introdoction of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



1782 


Captain James Dunbar. 


1782 


>» 


Jacob Schalcli. 


1789 




John Ramsay. 


1794 




Charles N. Cookson. 


1803 




W. Henry Gardner. 


1803 




A. Y. Sj^earman. 


1S08 




Nathl. W. Oliver. 


1808 




William Lloyd. 


1815 




Charles H. Godby. 


1826 




Alexr. Mcl-Achlan. 


1840 




Wm. Furneaux. 


1847 




J. A. Wilson. 


1848 




Anthony Bonn. 


1855 




C. G. Arbuthnot. 


1855 




A. R. Wragge. 



No. 6 COMPANY, 2nd BAITALION, 
Keduced on 1st Marchy 1819. 



1807 Expedition to Copenhagen. 
1809 Expedition to Walcheren. 



1782 Captain Joseph Walton. 





1782 




John Fairlamb. 


hagen. 


1782 
1790 




Ralph Wilson. 
W. P. Smith. 


ieren. 


1796 
1799 
1805 




George Wulff. 
Spencer C. Parry. 
Thomas Francklin 




1807 




Robert H. Birch. 




1808 




Thomas Paterson. 



l82 



Second Battalion. 



Chap. XVI 



No. 7 COMPANY (afterwards No. 6), 2nd BAITAUON, 

Now "G" BATTEEY, Sth BRIGADE. 



Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
which the Comiuny has been engaged. 



LIM of Captains who have snocesslvely com- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to iutrcduction of Brigade 
Syatem, in 1859. 





• 


• * 


1782 


Captain George Fead. 


1792 


ton. 


Thomas R Charle- 


1799 


Captain William Cox. 


1805 


9> 


William Millar. 


1805 


f* 


William Payne. 


1816 


)» 


James S. Bastard. 


1817 


» 


J. F. Fead. 


1821 


» 


H. B. Lane. 


1826 


1) 


Charles G. Nai»ier. 


1826 


yy 


Thomas Scott. 


1834 


>} 


William A. Ra\ ncs. 


1843 


>} 


G. M. Glasgow. 


1848 


» 


H. J. Morris. 


1851 


»> 


A. G. W. Hamilton. 


1854 


9> 


A. C. Pigou. 



No. 8 COMPANY (afterwanls No. 7), 2nd BAITALION, 

Now " 5 " BATTEEY, 2nd BBIGADE. 

* * * 

1782 Captain Alexr. MeKeuzio. 



1782 


n 


George Groves. 


1782 


»> 


Abraham Wit ham. 


1794 


» 


Edward Steheliu. 


1794 


>» 


Charles Nevelle. 


1802 


w 


Thomas D<.)dd. 


1813 


i> 


Abraham Paul. 


1814 


91 


Francis Knox. 


1819 


If 


Josci)h Brome. 


1821 


>» 


Frederick Gordon. 


1826 


1) 


Wm. E. Maling. 


1833 


l» 


Wm. Saunders. 


1834 


99 


J. K. Colebrooke. 


1840 


99 


E. Trevor. 


1845 


99 


A. Shuttle worth. 


1852 


>1 


M. 0. Nixon. 



Chap. XVI. 9 Company^ ind Battalion. 



183 



No. 9 COMPANY, 2nd BATTALION, 
Seduced Ut February, 1819. 



BafttlM, Sfegn, Mid other SftUitaiy operaUons In 
which the Gompaoy has been engaged. 



Llat of Oaptalna who have suoonsively a>m- 
maoded the Gbouiany. as iar a« can be 
traoed, down to introdoction ni Brigade 
Qyatem, In 1869. 



1782 
1790 
1793 
1799 
1800 
1802 
1804 
1801 
1812 



Captain Thomas Patcrson. 
John Macleod. 
Thomas Dcsbriiiay. 
William Robe. 
Robert Wright. 
Daniel Gahan. 
George Forster. 
Benjamin Fcnwick. 
David Story. 



» 



it 



)> 



f> 



»f 



»> 



» 



J9 



No. 10 COMPANY (afterwards No. 8), 2nd BAITALION, 

Now "A" BATTEEY, 14th BRIGADE. 





1782 
1783 


Captain Thomas Davis. 
„ F. M. Dixon. 




1793 


tt 


Charles Robison. 


1803 
1804 
1814 


99 
»> 
»» 


John Dyer. 
George Desbrisay. 
Thomas J. Harrison. 


! 1819 


» 


Thomas Paterson. 


1 


1825 
1826 
1831 


9) 


Courty. Cmttenden. 
UamelinTrela wney . 
Thomas Grantham. 




1843 


» 


T. C. Robe. 


1851 
1856 


»» 


Evan Maberley. 
J. E. Thring. 



( i84 ) 



I 



CHAPTER XYII. 

During the Seven Years' War. 

A T this time the Regiment well deserved the motto it now 
-^ bears, " Ubique." The feeling uppermost in the mind 
of one who has been studying its records between 1756 and 
1763 is one of astonishment and admiration. Only forty 
years before, the Royal Artillery was represented by two 
companies at Woolwich ; now we find it serving in the 
East and West Indies, in North America, in the Mediter- 
ranean, in Germany, in Belleisle, and in Britain, and yet it 
was by no means a large Regiment. In 1756 it contained 
eighteen companies, and by the end of the war it had in- 
creased to thirty, exclusive of the cadets ; but when we 
reflect on the detached nature of their service, we cannot 
but marvel at the work they did. If England must always 
look back with pride to the annals of this war, so also must 
the Royal Artilleryman look back to this period of his Regi- 
mental History with amazement and satisfaction. It was a 
wonderful time, — a time bristling with ubiquitous victories, 
— a time teeming with chivalrous memories— Clive in the 
East, and Wolfe in the West — British soldiers conquering 
under Prince Ferdinand at Minden, under Lord Albemarle 
at the Havannah, under Amherst at Louisbourg, and under 
Hodgson at Belleisle, — English Artillerymen winning 
honours and promotion from a foreign prince in Portugal ; 
and at the end, when the Peace of Paris allowed the nations 
to cast up the columns in their balance-sheet, England, 
finding Canada all her own, Minorca restored to her, and 
nineteen-twentieths of India acknowledging her sovereignty. 
It was a golden time : who can paint it ? Who can select 
enough of its episodes to satisfy the reader, and yet not 



Chap. XVII. IVol/e. 185 

weary him with glut of triumph ? And shall it be by conti- 
nents that the deeds of our soldiers shall be watched ? or on 
account of popular leaders ? or by value of results ? 

With much thought and hesitation it has been resolved in 
this work to choose subjects for complex reasons. Who can 
think of England's Field Artillery without thinking, at such 
a time as this was, of Minden? — of her siege Artillery, 
without remembering Belleisle ? And yet what would the 
History of the Regiment at such a period in England's 
annals be, if the names of Phillips, Macbean, and Desaguliers 
were unspoken ? 

Happy coincidence that enables the historian to combine 
both, — that bids him, as he writes of Minden, write also of 
Phillips, who was the head, and Macbean, who was the 
hand, of the corps on that proud day ; and as he tells of the 
wet and miserable trenches at Belleisle, with the boom of 
its incessant bombardment, tell also of him, the brave, the 
learned Desaguliers, wounded, yet ever at his post ! But is 
this all ? The Seven Years' War, without America having 
a chapter given — America, which was the cradle of the war, 
as it was the scene of its greatest triumphs ! Where shall 
we turn to choose on that continent some scene which shall 
be noble and pleasant to tell, and shall not wander from the 
purpose of this work ? The mind clings instinctively to 
Wolfe, eager to narrate something of the Regiment's story 
over which his presence shall shed a lustre, in memory as in 
life. Quebec is eagerly studied, reluctantly laid aside, for 
on that sad and glorious day only a handful of Artillerymen 
mustered on the Plains of Abraham. So the student wanders 
backward from that closing scene, and on the shores of that 
bay in Cape Breton where Louisbourg once stood in arms, 
he finds a theme in which Wolfe and this Regiment, whose 
history he fain would write, were joint and worthy actors. 
And what prouder comrade could one have than he who 
was the Washington of England in bravery, in gentleness, in 
the adoration of his men ? 

These three episodes of the war, therefore, have been 
selected for separate mention. In the present chapter the 



1 86 During tlie Seven Years War. Chap. xvii. 

general outline of the war will be glanced at, and domestic 
occurrences in the Begiment described. 

The Seven Years' War owed its immediate origin to the 
quarrels in America between England and France. Under 
the impression that the time was favourable for recovering 
Silesia, which had been awarded to Prussia at the Peace of 
Aix-la-Ghapelle, Austria secured Bussia, Saxony, and Sweden 
as allies, and ultimately France ; while Prussia obtained the 
alliance of England. The commencement of the war was 
unfavourable to England. Minorca and Hanover fell into 
the hands of the French, and remained so until the end of 
the war. But they were avenged by the victories of the 
British troops under Prince Ferdinand at Crevelt and Minden; 
and by the victories of the King of Prussia over the Aus- 
trians at Prague and Bosbach. The capture of Belleisle by 
the English compensated, to a certain extent, for the loss 
of Minorca. The capture of Louisbourg, Quebec, Montreal, 
and ultimately the whole of Canada, added lustre to the 
English arms in the West, as that of Pondicherry did in the 
East ; while even Africa contributed its share to English 
triumph, in the capture of Senegal from the French. 

It was not until 1758 that the first Artillery was sent 
to Germany. It was increased in the following year, and 
a further reinforcement was sent in 1760, increasing the 
whole to five companies. Two companies were sent to 
America in 1757, to swell the Artillery force already there, 
with a view to the reduction of Louisbourg and the subjuga- 
tion of Canada. Two, besides a number of detachments, 
were at Belleisle in 1761 ; the company at Gib;raltar was 
increased by another ; two companies were sent to Portugal 
after France had formed the Treaty known as the Family 
Compact; four were in the East Indies; two companies, 
besides a number of detachments, accompanied Lord Albe- 
marle to the Havannah ; and a detachment went to Senegal. 
This summary — not including the numerous detachments on 
board the bomb-vessels — is sufficient to give some idea of the 
ubiquitous duties performed by the Begiment during this 
time. 



Chap. XVI I . Capture of Sural. 187 

The increase in the number of companies which took place 
during the Seven Years' War was accompanied by the forma- 
tion of another Battalion (the Third), whose history will 
therefore, be given in proper chronological place. 

Although three episodes have been selected for more 
detailed mention than the others, it would not be just to omit 
all notice of the other events which occurred in the Eegi- 
ment's history at this time. Turning to the East, there are 
many pages in the old records which speak eloquently, 
though quaintly, of service done at this time by the corps 
in India. A mixed force, under the command of Captain 
Bichard Maitland, E.A., was ordered by the Governor of 
Bombay to proceed, in February, 1759, against the City and 
Castle of Surat. Captain Maitland's and Captain Northall's 
companies were present with the force, but the last-named 
officer died of sunstroke on the march. " The first attack," 
writes Captain Maitland, '^ that we made was against the 
" French garden, where the enemy (Seydees) had lodged a 
" number of men. Them we drove out, after a very smart 
" firing on both sides for about four hours, our number lost 
''consisting of about twenty men killed and as many 
"wounded. After we had got possession of the French 
" garden, I thought it necessary to order the Engineer to 
" pitch upon a proper place to erect a battery, which he 
" did, and completed it in two days. On the battery were 
" mounted two 24-pounders and a 13-inch mortar, which I 
" ordered to fire against the wall, &c., as brisk as possible. 
" After three days' bombarding from the batteries and the 
" armed vessels, I formed a general attack, driving the enemy 
" from their batteries, and carrying the outer town, with its 
" fortifications. The same evening I commenced firing from 
" the 13 and 10-inch mortars on the inner town and castle, 
"distant 500 and 700 yards. The continual firing of our 
" batteries caused such consternation, and the impossibility 

of supporting themselves caused the Governor to open the 

gates of the town, and ofiering to give up the castle if I 
" would allow him and his people to march out with their 
" ofiects. We got possession without further molestation.'' 






1 88 During the Seven Years War, Chap. xvii. 

Captain Maitland, who seems to Lave been more proficient 
with his sword than his pen, died in India in 1763. 

The scene changes to Manilla ; and on a faded page the 
student reads how a company of Artillery arrived oflf that 
island on the 23rd September, 1762, with General Draper's 
force, and made good their landing next morning with three 
field-guns and one howitzer. By the 26th the batteries were 
ready for heavier ordnance ; and eight 24-pounders were 
placed in one, and 10 and 13-inch mortars in another. And 
here the dim page is illumined by a sentence dear to the 
student's heart: — "The officers of Artillery and Engineers 
^' exercising themselves in a manner that nothing but their 
"zeal for the public service could have inspired." On the 
5th October, so violent had been the fire of the Artillery, 
that the breach appeared practicable ; and at daylight on the 
morning of the 6th, after a general discharge from all the 
batteries, the troops rushed to the assault. The Governor 
and principal officers retired to the citadel, and surrendered 
themselves prisoners at discretion. 

Again the scene changes. On the 5th March, 1762, Lord 
Albemarle's expedition left Portsmouth for the Havannah. 
The Boyal Artillery consisted of Captain Buchanan's and 
Captain Anderson's companies, with Brevet-Lieutenant- 
Colonels Leith* and Cleveland, Captain-Lieutenant Wil- 
liamson as a Volunteer, and Lieutenants Lee, Lemoine, and 
Blomefield for duty on board the bomb- vessels. On reaching 
Barbadoes news is received of the capitulation of Martinique 
to General Monckton's force, and the fleet steers for that 
island. Here large reinforcements from America meet them, 
including Captain Strachey's company, which brings the 
strength of the Artillery up to 377 of all ranks. On the 
6th June the expedition reaches Havannah, and a landing 
is effected six miles to the eastward of the Moro, which it 
is resolved to besiege first. And here the story becomes a 
purely Artillery matter. Two batteries were opened — one 



* Lieutenant-Colonel Leitb v/as killed subsequently at the bombardment 
of Havannah, while in command of the Artillery. 



Chap. XVII. Capture of Havannah. 189 

against the Moro, at 192 yards distance, called the grand 
battery, and one for howitzers, to annoy the shipping. 
Repeated and unsuccessful sallies were made by the enemy ; 
and still battery after battery was made and opened by the 
English. On the 1st July four batteries opened fire — 
from twelve 24-pounders, six 13-inch, three 10-inch, and 26 
Boyal mortars. On the 3rd July another was completed ; 
and on the 16th sixteen additional guns were brought into 
play and so well served that the besieged were reduced to 
six guns. But there were other enemies than man to con- 
tend with. Twice the Grand Battery took fire, and the 
second time it was entirely consumed. Fresh provisions 
became scarce,' and water equally so. No words can paint 
what followed better than the short sentence which meets 
the student's eye : — " The scanty supply of water exhausted 
" their strength, and, joined to the anguish of dreadful thirst, 
"put an end to the existence of many. Five thousand 
'' soldiers and three thousand sailors were laid up with 
"various distempers."^ On the 22nd, — a lodgment having 
been eflfected on the glacis, — it was found necessary to have 
recourse to mining ; and on the 30th the mines were sprung 
and the place carried by storm. Fresh batteries wore now 
formed, and the guns of the Moro turned against the town. 
On the 11th August forty-five guns and eight mortars opened 
on the town with such fury, that flags of truce were soon 
hung up all round the town, and on the following day the 
articles of capitulation were signed ; the principal gates of 
the town were taken possession of ; the English colours were 
hoisted ; and Captain Duncan took possession of the men-of- 
war in the harbour.^ 

The death vacancies in the Artillery, which were very 
numerous, had been filled up on the spot by Lord Albemarle, 
who not merely gave the promotions, but also made, first ap- 
pointments as Lieutenant-Fireworkers from among the cadets 
and non-commissioned officers present with the companies. 
The whole of these promotions were ratified by the Board in 



Clcaveland's MSS. * Aftrrwanls Lord CainjK-nlown. 






190 During tfie Seven Years' War, Chap. XVll. 

the following year; but an opportunity was taken at the 
same time of informing the Begiment that '' Lieutenant- 
" Colonel Cleveland's brevet is not to allow of his ranking 
'^ otherwise than as Major in the Begiment," although his 
pay would be that of the higher rank. 

Yet again and again, from east to west and west to east, 
do the scenes in the Regimental drama at this time change. 
From Newfoundland we hear of a gallant band of fifty-eight 
Artillerymen under Captain Ferguson, with a train of no less 
than twenty-nine pieces, being present with Colonel Am- 
herst at the recapture of that island, after its brief occupa- 
tion by the French. And from Portugal comes a letter from 
Lord London in October, 1762 : " In the action of Villa 
" Vella, Major Macbean, with four field-pieces, joined, having 
"used the greatest diligence in his march. The force 
retiring. Major Macbean 's guns formed part of the rear- 
guard, which he conducted so eflfectually, that hardly any 
shot was fired that did not take place among the enemy. 
" . . . . Major Macbean of the Artillery is an officer whose 
" zeal and ability, upon this and every other occasion, justly 
** entitle him to the warmest recommendations I can possibly 
" give him." 

In the mean time, what was going on in England ? 
An unsuccesful expedition was ordered in July, 1757, to 
Eochfort, in which Captain James's company was engaged. 
On its return in October the Company was sent to Scar- 
borough. 

On the 5th June, 1758, we find 400 Artillerymen with 
sixty guns forming part of an expedition against St. Malo 
under Charles, Duke of Marlborough; but little was done 
except destroying a large number of French vessels. The 
subsequent attack and capture of Cherbourg- was more suc- 
cessful, and the number of guns taken from the enemy 
enabled the Government to get up a display in London — 
utterly out of proportion to the actual danger and loss in- 
curred by the troops, but intended to gratify the populace — 
which may be described in a few words. " The cannon and 
"mortars taken at Cherbourg passed by His Majesty, set 



Chap. XVI I. At Woolwich. 1 9 1 






out from Hyde Park and came through the City in grand 
procession, guarded by a company of matrosses, with 
drums beating and fifes playing all the way to the Tower, 
" where they arrived at four o'clock in the afternoon. There 
" were twenty-three carriages drawn by 229 horses, with a 
"postilion and driver to each carriage in the following 
" manner :— The first, drawn by fifteen grey horses, with the 
" English colours and the French underneath ; seven ditto, 
" drawn by thirteen horses each ; nine ditto by nine horses 
" each ; three ditto by seven horses each ; one ditto by five 
" horses ; then the two mortars, by nine horses each." 

And at Woolwich, what was going on ? Promotion was 
brisk, with death so busy all over the world; ofiicers got 
their commissions when very young ; and the age of the 
cadets fell in proportion. Hence we feel no surprise that 
the legislation for these young gentlemen occupies a con- 
siderable part of the order-books of the period. But the 
remaining orders are not destitute of interest. One, dated 
Ist October, 1758, introduces a name which has been familiar 
to the Kegiment ever since in the same capacity : " K. Cox, 
"Esq., is appointed Paymaster to the Royal Regiment of 
" Artillery." The division of the Regiment into Battalions 
rendered many orders necessary. It was now for the first 
time laid down that the quartermasters were responsible for 
the clothing and equipment until handed over to the cap- 
tains. A separate roister was kept for detachments, which, 
however, was not to interfere with officers accompanying 
their own men, when the whole company moved. Pro- 
motion from matross to gunner was ordered never to be 
made without submitting the case to the Lieutenant- 
General of the Ordnance, in the same manner as the pro- 
motion of non-commissioned officers. No non-commissioned 
officer was to be recommended for promotion who had not 
written in full for the examination of his Captain the 
names and dififerent parts of guns and mortars, their car- 
riages and beds, and also a full description of a gyn. 
And at every parade the Captain of the week was to take 
care that the men were made acquainted with the names 



192. During the Srocn Years War. Chap. xvil. 

of all the different parts of a gnn and carriage, and of a 
gyn, and once a day to mount and dismount a gun. Every 
man was supplied with three rounds of ball-cartridge, 
without which he was never to go on duty ; when discharged, 
an English gunner received a fortnight's pay ; a Scotchman 
received a month's, provided he had been enlisted in Scot- 
land ; no Irishman was on any account allowed at this time 
to be enlisted for the Koyal Artillery ; no recruit was per- 
mitted leave of absence until he had been dismissed drill ; no 
man on guard was to "extort money from any prisoner on 
"any pretence whatsoever;" no man was to pull off his 
clothes or accoutrements during the hours of exercise; no 
pay-sergeant was allowed to pay the men in a public-house ; 
the drummers and fifers were, when on duty, always to wear 
their swords ; any pay-sergeant lending money ai a premium 
to any of the men was to be tried and reduced to the rank of 
matross, and any man consenting to be imposed upon in this 
respect would receive no further advancement in the Kegi- 
ment. No men were allowed to enter the Laboratory in their 
new clothing. Every recruit for the Regiment at this time 
received a guinea and a crown as bounty, provided he were 
medically fit, 5 feet 9 inches in height, and not over 25 years 
of age. 

Many of the orders would lose their quaintness, if curtailed. 

November 19, 1758. "Complaint having been made of 
"the Greenwich guard for milking the cows belonging to 
" Combe Farm, the Sergeant of that guard to be answerable 
" for such theft, who will be broke and punished if he suffer 
" it for the future, and does not tak^ care to prevent it." 

Jan. 6, 1759. " The Paymasters of each company are to 
"clear with the nurse of the hospital once a week. 'No man 
" is to be allowed within the nurse's apartment." 

March 19, 1759. " The sentries to load with a running 
" ball, and when the Officer of the Guard goes his rounds, 
" they are to drop the muzzles of their pieces to show him 
" that they are properly loaded;" 

June 14, 1758. " In drilling with the Battalion guns 
" the man who loads the gun is to give the word * Fire,' as 



Chap. XVII. The Order Books. 193 



" it is natural to believe he will not do it till he believes 
" himself safe ; and he who gives the word * Fire ' is not to 
" attempt to sponge until he hears the report of the gun." 

With regard to oflBcers, the order-books at this time 
divided their attention pretty equally between the Surgeon 
and his mate, who had a playful habit of being out of the 
way when wanted, and that favourite theme, the young 
officers. Much fatherly advice, which in more modern times 
would be given verbally, was given then through the channel 
of the Regimental order-book. Nor was the system more 
successful, if one may judge from the frequent repetitions of 
neglected orders. Various orders as to dress were given, 
from which we learn that boots for the officers and black 
spatterdashes for the men were the ordinary covering for 
their extremities on parade — white spatterdashes with their 
six-and-thirty buttons being reserved for grand occasions. 
It was a very serious crime to wear a black stock, — white 
being the orthodox colour — and the lace from the officers' 
scarlet waistcoasts was removed at this period. Very great 
attention was paid at this time to perfecting the officers, old 
and young, in the knowledge of laboratory duties, nor was any 
exemption allowed. From the order-books of this date, also, 
we learn that officers' servants were chosen from among the 
matrosses ; and that, on a man becoming a gunner, he ceased 
to be a servant. Nor was a matross allowed to be made 
gunner until a recruit was found to fill his vacancy in the 
lower grade. As now, the practice prevailed then, whenever a 
man in debt was transferred from one company to another, of 
making the Captain who received the man reimburse the 
Captain who handed him over, repaying himself by stoppages 
from the man's pay. 

With this general glance at the Begiment during the 
Seven Years' War, the History will now proceed to a some- 
what fuller examination of the three important episodes in 
that War, which have been selected. 

N.B. Goocl service was rcudercd at Guadaloupe in 1759 by a Company 
under Major S. Clcaveland, and at Martiniqne in 1762 by two Companies 
under Lieutenant-Colonel Ord. 

VOL. I. O 



( 194 ) 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Siege of Louisbouro. 

nPHE year in which the Kegiment was divided into two 
^ Battalions witnessed the commencement in America of 
military operations which were to result in the complete 
removal of French authority from Canada. 

Captain Ord's company, which had suffered so grievously 
at Fort du Quesne in 1755, having been reinforced from 
England, was joined in 1757 by two companies under 
Colonel George Williamson, and a large staff of artificers, 
the whole being intended to form part of an expedition 
against the French town of Louisbourg in Cape Breton, now 
part of the province of Nova Scotia. It was to be Colonel 
Williamson's good fortune to command the Royal Artillery 
in America until, in 1760, the English power was fully 
established on the Continent. 

When the English captured Annapolis and Placentia in 
the beginning of the 18th century, the French garrisons 
were allowed to settle in Louisbourg, which place they very 
strongly fortified. Its military advantages were not very 
great, had an attack from the land side been undertaken, 
for it was surrounded by high ground ; but it had an ad- 
mirable harbour, and it was very difficult to land troops 
against the place from the sea side of the town. The har- 
bour lies open to the south-east, and is nearly six miles long, 
with an average depth of seven fathoms, and an excellent 
anchorage. There was abundance of fuel in the neighbour- 
hood, both wood and coal ; in fact, the whole island was full 
of both ; and there were casemates in the town which could 
greatly shelter the women and children during a bombard- 
ment. Generally some French men-of-war were in the 
harbour ; and in 1757, when the siege was first proposed to 



Chap. XVIII. The American Militia. 195 

be nndertaken, so strong was the French fleet at Louisbonrg, 
that the English commanders postponed their operations 
until the following year. Had our statesmen been better 
acquainted with geography, it is probable that at the Peace 
of Utrecht, when Nova Scotia and Newfoundland were autho- 
ritatively pronounced to be English territory, Cape Breton 
would have also been included ; but being an island, and 
separate from Nova Scotia although immediately adjoining 
it, the French did not consider that it fell within the treaty, 
and clung to it, as they always had to the maritime provinces 
of Canada. 

The siege of 1758 was not the first to which Louisbourg had 
been subjected. In 1745 an expedition had been fitted out 
from Massachusetts — the land forces being American Militia 
under Colonel Pepperell, and the naval contingent being 
composed of English men-of-war under Commodore Warren. 
The amicable relations between the naval and military com- 
manders tended greatly to bring about the ultimate success. 

The American Militia were badly trained, and far from 
well disciplined, but they were brave, headstrong, and ani- 
mated by strong hatred of their old enemies the French. 
Powerful as Louisbourg was (it was called the Dunkirk of 
America) the Americans did not hesitate to attack it, and 
they were justified by the result. On the 30th April, 1745, 
the siege commenced ; on the 15th June, M. Du Chambon, 
the Governor of Louisbourg, signed the capitulation. 

For a year after this, the town was occupied by the 
American Militia ; but a garrison which included a company 
of the Eoyal Artillery was then sent from England, and 
remained until 1748, when by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle 
Louisbourg was restored to the French. The sum of 235,749Z. 
was paid by England to her American colonies, to meet the 
expenses of the expedition whose success had now been can- 
celled by diplomacy, and if to this sum be added the ex- 
penses of the Navy, and the cost of garrisoning the place 
for three years, we shall find that at least 600,000Z. must 
have been expended to no purpose. 

Time went on ; treaties were torn up ; and Louisbourg was 

o 2 



196 The Siege of Louishtmrg, Chap. XVI 1 1. 

again the object of English attack. It is this second siege 
which is the one considered in this chapter ; for none of the 
Royal Artillery were present at the first ; the Artillery 
which fought on that occasion being militia, commanded by 
an officer who fought against England during the subsequent 
War of Independence. An indirect interest certainly is 
attached to that siege in the mind of one studying the annals 
of the Royal Artillery ; for had it been unsuccessful, Anna- 
polis with its little garrison would have been exposed to 
another assault. From private letters in possession of the de- 
scendants of.a distinguished Artillery officer — Major-General 
Phillips — the perilous condition of that town during 1745 
can be easily realized. Large bodies of French, and of 
hostile Indians, were in the immediate neighbourhood, 
making no secret of their intention to attack Annapolis in 
force, should the English siege of Louisbourg be unsuc- 
cessful. With the news of its capture, the danger to Anna- 
polis disappeared. These local wars between the French 
and English settlers proved an admirable school for instruct- 
ing the New Englanders in military operations ; nor was it 
foreseen that the experience thus acquired would be turned 
against the parent country. Distraction in America helped 
England in her wars with France in Europe ; and such dis- 
tractions were easy to raise among colonists whose mutual 
hatred was so great. It was never imagined that the tools 
which England thus used against France were being 
sharpened in the process for use against herself in the stern 
days which were coming on. Colonial rebellion seemed im- 
possible ; colonial endurance was believed to be eternal ; it 
was hoped that patriotism and sentiment would be stronger 
than any hardship, and would condone any injustice. But 
when the day came when colonists asked the question 
" Why ? " for the Imperial actions towards them, the parental 
tie was cut, and the lesson taught in the school of local war- 
fare — the lesson of their own strength — became apparent to 
the children. 

The siege of Louisbourg, in 1758, has a threefold interest 
to the military reader ; in connection with the conspicuous 



Chap. XVIII. Siege of i'-]^%. 197 

serrices of the Boyal Artillery on the occasion ; in relation 
to the story of the gallant Wolfe, who acted as one of the 
Brigadiers ; and in the fact that this was the last place held 
by the French against England, on the east coast of America. 
Ghastly for France as the results of the Seven Years' War 
were, perhaps none were felt more acutely than this loss of 
Canada, with its episodes of Louisbourg and Quebec. Louis 
the Well-beloved was sinking into a decrepit debauchee; 
and in the East and in the West his kingdom was crumbling 
away. The distinctive characteristics, even at this day, of 
the French population of Canada, which have survived more 
than a century of English rule, give an idea of the firm hold 
France had obtained on the country ; and the strength of 
that hold must have made the pang of defeat proportionately 
bitter. 

Lord Loudon was to have commanded the expedition ; and 
in 1757 the necessary troops and ships were concentrated at 
Halifax, now the capital of Nova Scotia. But on learning 
that there were 10,300 of a garrison in Louisbourg, besides 
fifteen men-of-war and three frigates, he abandoned the 
idea of an attack, and sailed for New York, leaving garrisons 
in Halifax and Annapolis. 

In the following year, the idea was revived ; and General 
Amherst left Halifax for Louisbourg with a force of 12,260 
men, of whom 324 belonged to the Koyal Artillery. The 
naval force consisted of 23 ships of the line and 18 frigates ; 
and the number of vessels employed as transports was 144. 

The Artillery train included 2 Captain-Lieutenants, 6 First 
Lieutenants, 5 Second Lieutenants, and 4 Lieutenant-Fire- 
workers ; besides a staff consisting of a Colonel, an Adjutant, 
a Quartermaster, and two medical officers. There were no 
less than 53 non-commissioned officers, to a total rank and 
file of 03 gunners and 163 matrosses. 

The Regiments engaged were as follows : — the Ist Royals, 
15th, 17th, 22nd, 28th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 47th, 48th, 58th, 
two battalions of the 60th Royal Americans, and Frazer's 
Highlanders. There wore eleven officers of miners and en- 
gineers, and they were assisted during the siege, and at the 



1 9 8 The Siege of Louisbourg. Chap. XV 1 1 1 . 

demolition of the fortifications, by selected officers from 
the Infantry Begiments. General Amherst was assisted by 
the following Brigadiers : — Whitmore, Lawrance, and James 
Wolfe. 

The following guns were taken with the Artillery : — 



Brass. 


BT188. 


26 24-prs. guns. 


2 lO-inch mortars. 


18 12-prs. „ 


7 8-incli „ 


6 6-prs. „ 


10 5 i -inch „ 


1 3-pr. gun (sent by mistake). 


30 4 1 -inch „ 


2 13-inch mortars. 




Iron. 


Iron. 


8 32-prs. guns. 


4 6-pr8. guns. 


25 24-prs. „ 


1 13-inch mortar. 



There were also two 8-inch and four S^-inch howitzers. 
Over 43,000 round shot, 2::80 case, 41,762 shell, besides a 
few grape and carcasses, and 4888 barrels of powder accom- 
panied the train. 

The fleet was commanded by Admiral Boscawen, assisted 
by Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Hardy, and Commodore Durell. 
It consisted, as has been said, of no less than 23 ships of 
the line, and 18 frigates. Even the harbour of Halifax, 
Nova Scotia, which has been the witness of so many his- 
torical scenes, never saw a finer sight than when on Sunday 
the 28th May, 1758, this fleet, accompanied by the trans- 
ports, sailed for Louisbourg. All the arrangements for the 
embarkation and the siege had been made by Brigadier 
Lawrance, at Halifax, even down to such details as the pre- 
scription of ginger and sugar for the troops, for the purpose 
of neutralizing the evil efiects of the American water — an 
evil which must certainly have existed in the Brigadier's 
imagination. But just as they left the harbour, and reached 
Sambro' Point, they met a vessel from England with General 
Amherst on board, commissioned to take command of the 
expedition, as far as the military forces were concerned. 
The cordial relations between him and Admiral Boscawen 
assisted, to a marked extent, in bringing about the success 
of the enterprise. 

The orders issued to the troops were intended to excite 



Chap. XVIII. Orders to the Troops. 199 

them to anger against the enemy, at the same time that 
they should inculcate the strongest discipline. The qnaint- 
ness of some of them renders them worthy of reproduction. 
" No care or attention will be wanting for the subsistence 
" and preservation of the troops, such as our situation will 
" admit of. There will be an Hospital, and in time it is 
" hoped there will be fresh meat for the sick and wounded 
" men. ♦ ♦ ♦ The least murmur or complaint against 
" any part of duty will be checked with great severity, and 
" any backwardness in sight of the enemy will be punished 
" with immediate death. If any man is villain enough to 
" desert his colours and go over to the enemy, he shall be 
'* excepted in the capitulation, and hanged with infamy as a 
" traitor. When any of our troops are to attack the French 
" regular forces, they are to march close up to them, dis- 
" charge their pieces loaded with two bullets, and then rush 
upon them with their bayonets ; and the commander of the 
Highlanders may, when he sees occasion, order his corps to 
" run upon them with their drawn swords. * ♦ * ^ body 
of light troops are now training to oppose the Indians, 
Canadians, and other painted savages of the Island, who 
"will entertain them in their own way, and preserve the 
" women and children of the Army from their unnatural 
barbarity. Indians spurred on by our inveterate enemy, 
the French, are the only brutes and cowards in the crea- 
" tion who were ever known to exercise their cruelties upon 
" the sex, and to scalp and mangle the poor sick soldiers 
" and defenceless women. When the light troops have by 
" practice and experience acquired as much caution and cir- 
" cumspection, as they have spirit and activity, these howling 
" barbarians will fly before them. ♦ * * The tents will 
" be slightly intrenched or palisaded, that the sentries may 
" not be exposed to the shot of a miserable-looking Mic-Mac, 
" whose trade is not war, but murder. * * * As the air of 
" Cape Breton is moist and foggy, there must be a particular 
" attention to the fire-arms upon duty, that they may be 
" kept dry, and always fit for use ; and the Light Infantry 
" should fall upon some method to secure their arms from 






it 
it 



It 
it 



200 The Siege of Louisbonrg. Chap. XVI II. 



I 



" the dews, and dropping of the trees when they are in 
** search of the enemy." 

After a favourable passage, the fleet anchored in Grabreuse 
Bay, on Friday the 2nd June. This bay is about three 
leagues by sea from Louisbourg harbour, and to the south- 
west of it. Here it was resolved to attempt a landing ; but 
for days the elements fought for the French. Incessant 
fogs and a tremendous surf rendered the enterprise hopeless, 
until Thursday, the 8th June. The landing was ultimately 
effected under the fire of the ships ; the leading boats con- 
taining the four senior companies of grenadiers, and all the 
light infantry of the force, under General Wolfe, whose 
courage and skill on this occasion were conspicuous. With 
a loss of 111 killed and wounded, they succeeded in driving 
the enemy back, and the other regiments were able to land. 
A change of weather prevented the landing of Artillery, 
baggage, and stores, so that the troops were exposed for the 
night to great discomfort. The spirit of the men under 
Wolfe on this occasion was remarkable. Boats were swamped, 
or dashed to pieces on the rocks ; many men were drowned ; 
and all had to leap into the water up to the waist; but 
nothing could restrain their ardour. Not merely did they 
drive the enemy back, but ^hey captured 4 officers and 
70 men, and 24 pieces of Ordnance. 

From this day until the 19th, when the Koyal Artillery 
opened upon the town from a line of batteries which had 
been thrown up along the shore, the operations of the army 
were weary and monotonous in the extreme. With the ex- 
ception of Wolfe's party, which was detached to secure a 
battery called the Lighthouse Battery,— an undertaking in 
which he succeeded, the duties of the troops consisted in 
making roads, and transporting from the landing-place guns, 
ammunition, and stores. In all the arrangements for the 
investment and bombardment. Colonel Williamson was warmly 
supported by General Amherst ; and the Admiral lent 
his assistance by landing his marines to work with the 
Artillery, and by sending four 32-pounder8 with ps^rt of his 
own ship's company, for a battery whose construction had 



Chap. XVIII. Evacuation of the Grand Battery. 201 

been strongly recommended. It was nearly ten o'clock on 
the night of the 19th, when the English batteries opened 
on the shipping and on the Island Battery. This last was a 
powerful battery commanding the entrance to the harbour, 
and with a double ditch to the land side to strengthen it. 
It was the chief obstacle to the English movements, and 
smart as our fire was, it returned it with equal warmth. 
A battery of six 24-pounders was thrown up at the light- 
house for the sole purpose of attempting to silence this 
particular battery ; and on the 25th it succeeded. The fire 
on the rest of the fortifications of Louisbourg was marvel- 
lously true, and incessant ; and as of late years they had 
been somewhat neglected, and in many places sea-sand had 
been used with the mortar in their construction, the ejSect 
of the English fire was more rapidly apparent. 

One precaution had been taken on this occasion by the 
French, which had been omitted by them in 1745, as they 
had too good reason to remember. When compelled to 
evacuate the Grand Battery, they set fire to it, and rendered 
it utterly useless ; so that the course pursued by the Eng- 
lish in the former siege, when they turned the guns of the 
battery against the town, could not be repeated. The effects 
of the English fire in the siege of 1758, when the Royal 
Artillery was represented, were thus described by a French 
officer who was in the town : — " Each cannon shot from the 
** English batteries shook and brought down immense pieces 
" of the ruinous walls, so that, in a short cannonade, the 
** Bastion du Roi, the Bastion Dauphin, and the courtin of 
"communication between them, were entirely demolished, 
" all the defences ruined, all the cannon dismounted, all the 
" parapets and banquettes razed, and became as one con- 
" tinned breach to make an assault everywhere." * 

An attempt was made by the Governor of Louisbourg to 
procure a cessation of fire against a particular part of the 
works, behind which he said was the hospital for the sick 
and wounded. As however, there were shrewd reasons 

' Murdoch. 



202 TJie Siege of Lotiisbourg. Chap. XVI 1 1. 

for belieying that not the hospital, but the magazine, was 
the subject of his anxious thoughts, his request was refused, 
but he was informed that he might place his sick on 
board ship, where they would be unmolested, or on the 
island under our sentries. These oflfers, however, were not 
accepted. 

The fire of the enemy's Artillery slackened perceptibly 
about the 13th July, and continued getting feebler, so that 
in a fortnight's time an occasional shot was all that was 
fired. At the commencement of the siege there were in 
Louisbourg 218 pieces of ordnance, exclusive of 11 mortars ; 
but such was the efiect of the English fire, not merely in 
dismounting and disabling the guns, but (as the deserters 
reported) in killing and wounding the gunners, that some 
days before the 27th July, when the capitulation was signed, 
the French reply to our Artillery fire was simply nU. The 
gallantry of the French commandant, the Chevalier de 
Drucour, was undoubted ; but he was sorely tried by the 
fears and prayers of the unhappy civil population, to whom 
military glory was a myth, but a bombardment a very pain- 
ful reality. Madame de Drucour did all in her power to 
inspire the troops with increased ardour; while there were 
any guns in position to fire, she daily fired three herself ; 
and showed a courage which earned for her the respect both 
of friend and enemy. But misfortunes came fast upon one 
another. A shot from the English batteries striking an iron 
bolt in the powder magazine of the French ship *Entre- 

* prenant,' an explosion followed, which set fire to her, and to 
two others alongside, the * Capricieuse ' and ' Superbe.' The 
confusion which ensued baffles description ; and not the least 
startling occurrence was the self-discharge of the heated 
guns in the burning ships, whose shot went into the town, 
and occasionally into the other two men-of-war which had 
escaped a similar fate to that which befell the three which 
have been named. Four days later, on the 25th July, a 
party of 600 British sailors entered the harbour, boarded the 
only two ships which remained, the * Prudent ' and * Bien- 

* faisant ' set fire to the former^ which had gone aground. 



Chap. XVIII. The Capitulation. 203 

and iowed the latter out of the harbour to the English 
fleet. 

Their batteries being destroyed, the fortifications one vast 
breach, their ships of war burnt or captured, and there being 
no prospect of relief, the French commander had no alterna- 
tiye but capitulation. He first proposed to treat, but was 
informed in reply, that unless he capitulated in an hour the 
English fleet would enter the harbour and bombard the 
town. So, after a little delay, he consented, on condition 
that the French troops should be sent as prisoners of war to 
France. 

The articles of capitulation were signed on the 27th July, 
1758,^ and immediately three companies of grenadiers took 
possession of the West Gate, while General Whitmore super- 
intended the disarming of the garrison. 

The expenditure of ammunition by the Koyal Artillery 
during the siege was as follows : — 13,700 round shot, 3340 
shell, 766 case shot, 156 round shot fixed, 50 carcasses, and 
1493 barrels of powder. Eight brass, and five iron guns 
were disabled ; and one mortar. 

Of the English army, 524 were killed or wounded; and at 
the capture of the place, there were 10,813 left fit for duty. 
The total strength of the French garrison, including sailors 
and marines on shore, at the same date, was 5637 of all ranks, 
of whom 1790 were sick or wounded. 

After the capitulation many of the English men-of-war 
moved into the harbour ; and the demolition of the fortifica- 
tions by the Engineers and working -parties was methodically 
commenced. The approach of the winter, and the heavy 
garrison duties, suspended the work for a time ; and it was 
not until the 1st June, 1760, that the uninterrupted de- 
struction of the works was commenced, under Captain Muckell 
of the Company of Miners, assisted by working parties from 
the infantry, of strength varying according to the work, 
from 160 to 220 daily. The miners and artificers numbered 
a little over 100. The whole work was completed on the 
10th November, 1760, there having been only two days' 
intermission, besides Sundays, one being the King's birthday. 



(i 



204 The Siege of Louisbourg. Chap, xviii. 

and the other being Midsummer Day. The reason for keeping 
this latter day is thus mentioned in a MS. diary of the 
mining operations at Louisbourg, now in the Koyal Artillery 
llecord Office, which belonged to Sir John Ligonier : — " Ac- 
" cording to tradition among the miners, Midsummer was 
" the first that found out the copper mines in Cornwall, for 
" which occasion they esteem this a holy day, and all the 

miners come from below ground to carouse, and drink to 

the good old man's memory." 

The fortifications of Louisbourg have never been rebuilt ; 
and with the disappearance of its garrison its importance 
vanished. Cape Breton and the Island of St. John, now 
called Prince Edward's Island, fell into English hands 
almost immediately, and have never since been ruled by 
any other. The former is now part of Nova Scotia; its 
capital is no longer Louisbourg, but Sydney ; and its French 
population has vanished — being replaced, to a great extent, 
by Highlanders from Scotland. 

Although the purpose of this work has made the Artillery 
part of the army's duties the most prominent in the chapter, 
it cannot be denied that, to the ordinary reader, Wolfe is 
the centre of attraction. The time was drawing near when the 
brave spirit which animated him at Louisbourg was to fire 
his exhausted and weary frame, and raise him from his sick- 
bed to that encounter on the Plains of Abraham, which his 
own death and that of his opponent were to render famous 
for all time. And the fire which then breathed life for the 
moment into his own frame inspired the men under his 
command at Louisbourg. The foremost duties, the posts of 
danger, were always his ; and with such a guide his followers 
never failed. On one evening in June he was issuing orders 
to his divison, which was to be employed during the night in 
bringing up guns to a new and exposed post. It was neces- 
sary to warn the men that the fire of the enemy would be 
probably warmer than usual, to check the working-parties : 
but with simple confidence, he said, *' He does not doubt but 
" that the officers and soldiers will co-operate with their 
" usual spirit, that they may have at least their share in the 



Chap. XVIII. Character of Wolfe. 205 

" honours of this enterprise." Of a tmth, he who asks his 
men to do nothing that he will not do himself, — who trusts 
them, instead of worrying and doubting them, — and who 
holds before his own eyes and theirs that ideal of duty which 
is of all virtues the most God-like, is the man to leoul men ; 
and such a man was Wolfe. 

Louisbourg and Quebec — two words— yet on Wolfe's grave 
they would mean pages of heroism. 



( 206 ) 



CHAPTER XIX. 

MiNDEN, — AND AFTER MiNDEN. 

CERTAIN Goths and Vandals, connected with the Board 
of Ordnance in 1799, issued an order granting per- 
mission for the destruction of many old documents which 
had accumulated in the Battalion oflSces at Woolwich since 
the year 1758. Had these been vouchers for pecuniary out- 
lay, it is but just to the Honourable Board to say that this 
permission would never have been granted. But as they 
referred merely to such trumpery matters as expenditure of 
life, and the stories of England's military operations, no 
reluctance was displayed, nor any trouble taken to distinguish 
between what might have proved useful, and useless to pos- 
terity. A gap consequently occurs in the official records of 
the 1st and 2nd Battalions, which increases twentyfold the 
labours of the student. 

The Battle of Minden was fought during the years repre- 
sented by that gap, and the difficulties to be overcome in 
tracing the identical companies of the Royal Artillery which 
were engaged can only be realised by the reader, who has 
himself had to burrow among old records and mutilated 
volumes. The main purpose in this history being to 
strengthen the Battertj as well as the Regimental esprit, it was 
of the utmost importance that the Companies, which did so 
much to decide the contest on that eventful day, should be 
discovered with certainty, for the sake of the existing Bat- 
teries who are entitled to their glory, by virtue of succession ; 
and — to make certain that no hasty conclusions have been 
arrived at — it has been thought desirable to give the data on 
which they have been based. 

Minden was fought in 1759. Fortunately, a fresh distri- 
bution of the companies in the two existing Battalions took 



Chap. XIX. Companies present at Minden, 207 

place in the preceding year ; and the names of the officers 
in each company are given at length in Cleaveland*s MS. 
notes. 

Now three companies are known to have been present at 
Minden. Of one, Captain Phillips', there is fortunately no 
doubt. It was then No. 5 Company of the 1st Battalion ; 
and after long and glorious service became on the 1st July, 
IS'^O, No. 7 Battery, 14th Brigade, when that change in the 
nomenclature of the companies took place, which is always 
baffling the student. On the 1st January, 1860, the exi- 
gencies of the service required yet another christening, and 
it became, on transfer, No. 4 Battery of the 13th Brigade, 
which it now is. This Battery was undoubtedly present at 
Minden. 

The tracing of the other two companies is not so easy. It 
is on record that one was commanded by Captain Cleaveland. 
In 1758, this officer was in command of No. 2 Company of 
the 2nd Battalion, but in the winter of that year he ex- 
changed with Captain Tovey, of the 1st Battalion, and 
almost immediately marched with his new company to join 
the Allied Armies on the Continent. This was then No. 4 
Company of the Ist Battalion ; and as Captain Cleaveland 
exchanged into it on the 30th October, 1758, and was in 
Germany with his Company in the beginning of December, 
(no second exchange having taken place,) there can be little 
doubt that another of the Companies at Minden was No. 4 
Company of the 1st Battalion, now designated No. 3 Battery 
of the 5th Brigade. 

Judging from a mention of Captain Drummond in one of 
Prince Ferdinand's despatches, the third company present at 
the battle would at first sight appear to have been No. 6 
of the 2nd Battalion, commanded by Captain Thomas 
Smith, — Captain Drummond being at that date his Captain- 
Lieutenant. But there is no mention of Captain Smith in 
any of the despatches ; and as there is a very frequent and 
most honourable mention of Captain Forbes Macbean, who 
was undoubtedly present in command of one of the companies, 
it would appear that Captain-Lieutenant Drummond must 



2o8 Minden^ — and after Minden. Chap. XIX. 

have been transferred to some other company for this serrice. 
Fortunately the Records of the 1st Battalion — generally a 
wilderness at this time — contain a key to the solution of the 
difficulty, for they show that Captain Forbes Macbean (on 
his promotion on 1st January, 1759, the very year that 
Minden was fought) took command of No. 8 Company of 
the 1st Battalion, now A Battery, 11th Brigade. As 
he never exchanged, and is specially mentioned as having 
taken his company to Germany, this may be assumed with 
certainty to have been the third of the companies present at 
Minden. 

A little confusion has been caused by the mention of 
Captain Foy in Prince Ferdinand's General Order after the 
battle; and one writer, generally marvellously accurate, 
assumes that he commanded one of the companies engaged. 
But, in the first place, he was then merely a Captain-Lieu- 
tenant, and much junior even to Captain Drummond, and, in 
the second, he was then holding a special appointment, 
namely, that of Bridgemaster to the Artillery. Although 
he and Captain Drummond had undoubtedly each charge of 
some guns during the battle, he was certainly not there with 
his Company. Indeed, in a contemporary notice, we find 
that this officer proceeded alone to join the Allied Army in 
the capacity named above. He held a similar appointment 
in America afterwards for nine years, and died in that 
country in 1779. 

The two most prominent of the Artillery officers present 
at Minden were Captain Phillips, who commanded, and 
Captain Macbean ; and both deserve more than passing notice. 
The former joined the Eegiment as a cadet gunner in 1746, 
became Lieutenant-Fireworker in the following year. Second 
Lieutenant in 1755, and First Lieutenant in 1756. When 
holding this rank, he was appointed to the command of a 
company of miners raised in 1756 for duty in Minorca, but 
no longer required after the capitulation of Port Mahon. 
Instead of disbanding them, however, the Board of Ordnance 
converted them into a company of Artillery, and added them 
to the Regiment. Greatly to the indignation of the officers 



Chap. XIX. Captain Forbes Macbcan. 209 

of a corps, whose promotion then, as now, was by seniority. 
Lieutenant Phillips was transferred with the company, as a 
Captain, without haying passed through the intermediate 
grade of Captain-Lieutenant. If the end ever justifies the 
means, this job on the part of Sir John Ligonier, then 
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, was justified by Captain 
Phillips' subsequent career both in Germany and in America. 
A minor point in connection with this oflScer is worthy of 
mention. He was the first to originate a band in the Boyal 
Artillery — not a permanent one, however — the present Band 
only dating as far back as 1771, when the 4th Battalion was 
formed, and with it the nucleus of what has developed into 
probably the best military band in the world. Captain 
Phillips died — a general officer — in Virginia, in the year 
1781, from illness contracted on active service. 

Forbes Macbean, the next most worthy of mention, began 
his career in the Eegiment, as a Cadet Matross, and died in 
1800 as Colonel-Commandant of the Invalid Battalion. He 
was present at Fontenoy, as has already been mentioned ; in 
Germany during the campaign of which Minden was part ; 
in Portugal, where he reached the rank of Inspector-General 
of the Portuguese Artillery; and in Canada, in the years 
1778-9, as commanding the Eoyal Artillery. He is men- 
tioned in Kane's List, as having been the second officer in 
the Eegiment who obtained the blue ribbon of Science, the 
Fellowship of the Royal Society — an honour borne by a good 
many in the Eegiment now, and valued by every one who 
appreciates its position as a scientific corps. 

The battle of Minden was the first during the operations 
in Germany of the Allied Army under Prince Ferdinand of 
Brunswick, at which special notice was made of the English 
troops. 

These operations commenced in 1757, the year in which 
Prince Ferdinand assumed the command of the Allied Army, 
and terminated in 1762. On the 8th March, 1758, Prince 
Ferdinand captured Minden from the French— a town 
situated on the river Weser, about 45 miles W.S.W. from 
Hanover; and retained possession of it until July, 1759, 

VOL. I. p 



2 lo Minden^ — and after Minden. Chap. XIX. 

when it was retaken from General Zastrow and his Hessian 

• 

troops by the French under M. de Broglio. 

Daring this interval, however, the Allied Army had been 
strengthened by the arrival of the following Begiments from 
England, sent by King George, as Elector of Bmnswick- 
Luneberg, viz.. Cavalry: Horse Guards Blue, Bland's, 
Howard's, Inniskillen, and Mordaunt's. Infantry : Napier's, 
Kingsley's, Welsh Fusiliers, Home's, and Stuart's. 

These were afterwards joined by the North British 
Dragoons, and Brudenel's Eegiment of Foot. The Artillery 
which first accompanied this force consisted of a Captain, 
six subalterns, and 120 non-commissioned officers and men, 
but in 1759 it was reinforced to a total strength of three 
companies. At first nothing but light 6"-pounders had come, 
for use as battalion guns, and had this state of matters 
remained unaltered, this chapter need never have been 
written. But with the reinforcements of 1759 came also 
twenty-eight guns of heavier calibre, and the Artillery was 
now divided into independent Brigades or Batteries, with 
a proportion merely of battalion guns; and as it now 
ceased to march in one column, as had formerly been the 
case, the great kettle-drums were no longer carried with 
the companies. 

In July, 1759, the French re-occupied Minden ; and, out- 
side the town. Prince Ferdinand was encamped with his 
Army, the right resting on Minden Marsh, the left on the 
Weser, but on a somewhat extended arc, and with intervals so 
great as to appear dangerous. He resolved to make a stand 
against the French, who had been considerably strengthened 
and were now under the command of M. de Contades. The 
French Commander had obtained permission from Paris to 
attack the Allies, and on the evening of the 31st July he 
issued the most detailed orders to his army as to the hours 
of movement, disposition of the troops, and order of battle. 
Prince Ferdinand anticipating the movements of the French, 
had issued orders for his army to march at 5 a.m. on the 
morning of the 1st August, moving in eight columns towards 
Minden, thus narrowing the arc on which they would deploy. 



Chap. XIX. The Battle. 2 1 1 

and proportionately diminishing the intervals. By the hour 

the Allies marched, the French, who had moved two hours 

before, were drawn up in order of battle, and at 6.30 a.m. 

the Allied Army was similarly formed. The appearance of 

the armies now was that of the arcs of two concentric circles, 

Minden being the centre, and the French Army being on 

the inner and smaller arc. The French had confidence in 

superior numbers — ^in the protection of the guns of the 

fortress in case of retreat — and in the prestige of recent 

successes. Their commander had boasted of his intention 

of surrounding Prince Ferdinand's army, and sending their 

capitulation to Paris. His plan was to make a powerful 

attack on General Wangenheim's corps, the left of the Allied 

Army, and somewhat detached from the main body ; which 

he hoped to turn. But, as the event turned out, Wangen- 

heim's division did not change its position during the whole 

engagement. About 7 a.m. a French battery commenced 

harassing the English Artillery, as it advanced in column of 

route on right of the Allied infantry ; but as soon as possible 

Captain Macbean brought his battery — known as the heavy 

brigade — into action, and soon silenced the enemy's fire. 

Although he had only ten medium 12-pounders, manned by 

his own and Captain Phillips^s companies — and two of these 

were disabled during this Artillery duel — he succeeded in 

overcoming a battery of thirty guns. While he waa thus 

engaged, the celebrated attack of the British infantry on the 

French cavalry was taking place. The British, accompanied 

by the Hanoverian Guards, and Hardenberg's Begiment, 

marched for some 150 paces, exposed both to a cross fire 

from the enemy's batteries, and a musketry fire from the 

infantry ; but, notwithstanding their consequent losses, and 

their continued exposure on both flanks, so unshaken were 

they, and so courageously did they fight, that in a very short 

time the French cavalry was routed. It is doubtful if their 

gallantry has ever been exceeded. Captain Macbean, being 

now at leisure, advanced his battery, came into action to 

the left, and — first preventing the French cavalry from 

reforming — followed by opening fire upon the Saxon troops 

p 2 



2 1 2 Minden, — and after Minden. Chap. XIX. 



who were now attacking the British infantry. The value of 
this assistance was very great. 

On the left of the Allies, the Artillery fire was equally 
successful, and the Hanoverians and Hessians greatly dis- 
tinguished themselves. Notwithstanding the unhappy and 
severely expiated hlunder of Lord George Sackville, in failing 
to obey the orders for advancing his cavalry, before 10 a.m. 
the French army fled in confusion. At this time. Prince 
Ferdinand advanced the English guns on the right, as close 
to the morass as they could be taken, to prevent the French 
from returning to their old camp on the Minden side of 
Dutzen ; and in this' he completely succeeded, — the enemy 
being compelled to retire behind the high ground, with their 
right on the Weser. The victorious army encamped on the 
field of battle, and on totalling their losses, they were found 
to amount to 2800 killed and wounded, 1394 of that number 
being British. The French lost in killed, wounded, and 
prisoners, between 7000 and 8000 ; besides 43 cannon, 10 
pairs of colours, and 7 standards. 

The Boyal Artillery had present on this memorable day 
in addition to Captain Macbean's heavy brigade, two light 
12-pounders, three light 6-pounders, and four howitzers, 
under Captain-Lieutenant Drummond; and four light 12- 
pounders, three light 6-pounders, and two howitzers, under 
Captain-Lieutenant Foy. There were also twelve light 
6-pounders with six British battalions. Captain Phillips 
commanded the whole three companies at the battle. 

The two points which strike one most after the perusal of 
the accounts of this engagement are the stolidity and nerve 
of English infantry under fire, and the advantage of in- 
dependent action on the part of Field Artillery. 

Minden was a cruel blow at the system of battalion guns. 
And although battalion guns have long disappeared, the 
mere concentration of them into batteries was not enougli, 
while those batteries had to accommodate their movements 
to those of the battalions to which they were attached. 
Bifled ordnance — with a range double that of the infantry 
weapon — had been in existence for years ; and yet general 



Chap. XIX. Prince Ferdinand. 2 1 3 

officers at reviews and field-days made the batteries keep 
with the battalions ; — advancing, retiring, dressing together, 
as if the only advantage of a gnn over a rifle was the size 
of the projectile, and not also increased range. It seemed 
never to dawn npon their understanding that by bringing 
their Artillery within range of the enemy's infantry fire, as 
by their system they certainly did, they would ensure for 
their batteries, after half an hour's engagement, a ghastly 
paraphernalia of dead horses and empty saddles. It was 
not until the year 1871, that an order was issued by one who 
is at once Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and Colonel of 
the Eoyal Artillery, giving to field batteries in the field that 
inestimable boon, comparative freedom of action. The lesson 
was a long time in learning ; and one of the best teachers 
was one of the oldest — this very Battle of Minden — which, 
in the words of one who took part in it, was of such import- 
ance in its results, that it "entirely defeated the French 
" views, disconcerted all their schemes, and rescued Hanover, 
" Brunswick, and Hesse from the rapacious hands of a cruel 
" ambitious, and elated enemy." 

On the day after the battle. Prince Ferdinand issued a 
General Order, thanking the army for their gallantry, and 
particularizing, among others, " the three English Captains, 
" Phillips, Drummond, and Foy ;" and on discovering that 
he had omitted mention of Captain Macbean, he wrote the 
following letter to him in his own hand. 

" To Captain Macbean, of the British Artillery. 

" Sib, — It is from a sense of your merit, and a regard to 
" justice, that I do in this manner declare I have reason 
" to be infinitely satisfied with your behaviour, activity, and 
" zeal, which in so conspicuous a manner you made appear 
" at the battle of Thonhausen, on the 1st of August. The 
" talents you possess in your profession did not a little con- 
" tribute to render our fire superior to that of the enemy, 
** and it is to you and your Brigade that I am indebted for 
** having silenced the fire of a battery of the enemy, wliicli 



It 
tt 

€t 
€t 



2 1 4 Minde7i^ — ami after Minden. Chap. X I x. 

" extremely galled the troops, and particularly the British 

« infantry." 

Accept then, sir, from me the just tribute of my most 
perfect acknowledgment, accompanied by my most sincere 
thanks. I shall be happy in every opportunity of obliging 
you, desiring only occasions of proving it ; being with the 

'' most distinguished esteem, 

" Your devoted and entirely affectionate servant, 
(Signed) " Febdinand, 

" Duke of Brunswic and Luneberg." 

Subsequently, as a further proof of his appreciation of the 
services of the Boyal Artillery at Minden or Thonhausen, as 
the battle was also named, the Prince directed the following 
gratuities to be presented to the senior officers : — 

To Captain William Phillips . . . . 1000 crowns. 

Captain Forbes Macbean . . . . 500 „ 

Captain Duncan Drummond . . 500 „ 

Captain Edward Foy 500 „ 

The story of the remaining operations of the Allied Army, 
in so far as they bear upon the services of the Boyal Artil- 
lery, may be briefly stated. In 1760, two additional com- 
panies were sent to Germany, the Begiment having in the 
interim been augmented by a third battalion. The British 
guns now with the army were as follows :— eight heavy, 
twelve medium, and six light 12-pounder8 ; thirty light 
6-pounders; three 8-inch, and six Boyal mortars. Before 
the end of the war the armament was changed to eight 
heavy, six medium, and four light 12-pounders ; twenty-four 
heavy, and thirty-four light 6-pounders ; eight 8-inch, and 
four Boyal howitzers. Captain Macbean is the prominent 
Artillery officer during the rest of the campaign: except, 
perhaps, at Warberg, where, on the 30th July, 1760, Captain 
Phillips astounded every one by bringing up the Artillery at 
a gallop, and so seconding the attack as utterly to prevent 
the enemy, who had passed the Dymel, from forming on the 
other side; and by the accuracy and rapidity of his fire. 



Chap. XIX. Changes of Fortune. 215 

converting their retreat into a precipitate rout. Perhaps it 
was young blood that prompted this unexpected action ; for, 
as has already been stated, he was but a boy compared with 
most captains ; if so, it contributes somewhat to atone for 
Sir John Ligonier's favouritism. More than thirty years 
were to pass before Horse Artillery should form part of the 
British army, and show what mobility it was possible to 
attain ; and more than a century ere Field Artillery should 
reach the perfection it now possesses, a perfection which 
treads closely on the heels of the more brilliant branch. 
During the Seven Years' War, so unwieldy was the move- 
ment of Artillery in the field, that this little episode, which 
makes modern lips smile, was thought worthy of a record 
denied to events which would now be considered far more 
important. 

Although more than two years passed between the Battle 
of Minden and the conclusion of peace, the custom which 
then prevailed of armies going into winter-quarters curtailed 
the time for active operations; and even when the forces 
were manoeuvring, much of the time was spent in empty 
marching and counter-marching. At Warberg, as at Minden, 
the heaviest loss fell upon the English troops, of whom 590 
were killed or wounded ; their gallantry — ^more especially in 
the case of the Highlanders and grenadiers — being again 
conspicuous. Among the trophies taken on this occasion 
from the enemy were ten guns. 

The fortune of war changed repeatedly ; and the British 
troops received further reinforcements, including three bat- 
talions of the Guards. Lord George Sackville having been 
cashiered was succeeded in the command of the English 
contingent by the Marquis of Granby ; and a cheerful feeling 
prevailed among the troops, since the news had arrived of 
the conquest of Canada. 

On the 12th February, 1761, Captain Macbean received 
the brevet rank of Major, and was ordered to proceed with 
a brigade of eight heavy 12-pounders, to join the Hereditary 
Prince near Fritzlar, on the following day. This town was 
garrisoned by 1200 French troops under M. de Narbonne ; and 



2 1 6 Mindai, — and after Minden. Chap. XIX. 

Major Macbean — having been entrusted with the command 
of the whole Artillery of the Prince's army — commenced 
the bombardment on the 14th, placing his batteries within 
300 yards of the wall, and advancing some light pieces even 
nearer, to scour the parapet with grape. As, however, he 
had no guns heavier than 12-pounders, and the walls were 
made of flint, his fire, although hot and steady, made little 
or no impression ; nor could he do much damage to the gates, 
which were barricaded with felled trees, and immense heaps 
of earth and stones. 

The Hereditary Prince, although expressing himself pleased 
with Major Maobean's dispositions, was evidently impatient 
to take the city; so Major Macbean suggested shelling it 
with howitaers, a suggestion which was approved of. So 
successful was the fire, that in about an hour's time the 
enemy capitulated, being allowed to march out with the 
honours of war. 

Major Macbean received the Prince's special thanks ; and 
the town was ordered to pay him 4000 crowns in lieu of their 
bells, a perquisite in those days of the commanding officer of 
Artillery, when a siege was crowned with success. 

From this time, matters looked well for the Allies. On 
the 25th June, 1761, news reached the army of the reduc- 
tion of Belleisle; and in October, 1762, tidings of the 
British successes at the Havannah arrived. On both occa- 
sions, a feu de joie was fired. On the 1st November, 1762, 
Cassel capitulated; a signal victory was gained over the 
combined Austrians and Imperialists, near Frey tag, by Prince 
Henry of Prussia, which filled the Allied camp with joy ; and 
on the 14th November, word reached the army that the 
preliminaries of peace had been signed at Fontainebleau. 
On the 24th December, Prince Ferdinand wrote to King 
George, congratulating him on the peace, and asking per- 
mission to quit the army, where his presence was no longer 
necessary ; and at the same time he announced to the British 
troops, that the remembrance of their gallantry would not 
cease but with his life; and that ''by the skill of their 
'' officers he had been enabled at the same time to serve his 



Chap. xrx. Thanks of tJie Hojis^ ^ Commons. 2 1 7 

■t^r — -^ — -^ 



«* * 






country, and to make a ftnitabfe i^torn fof^tti^^nfid^ihi^e 
which His Britannic Majo^ n^'been pleased to hc^our. 

"him with." \^ '"" ^ 

On the 13th January, 1763, thfeKitokarbf, the Qpusepf 
Commons were conveyed to the BritisE^iroeipch-fof^-^M^ 
"meritorious and eminent services;" and on the 25th 
January, their homeward march through Holland com- 
menced ; through the provinces of Guelderland, Nimegiien, 
and Breda, to Williamstadt, where they took ship for 
England. 

And, as sleep on the eyes of the weary, so peace descended 
for a time on those towns and hamlets by the Weser and the 
Bhine, which had been for so many years unwilling pawns 
on the great chess-board of war. 



( ^18 ) 



CHAPTER XX. 

The Third Battalion. — The History and Present Desig- 
nation OF THE Companies. 

NOT very long after the Battle of Minden, and while the 
lessons of the war were urging on the military world 
the increasing importance of Artillery, the Board of Ord- 
nance resolyed to increase the Royal Artillery still further. 
This was done by transferring five companies from the 
existing battalions, and by raising five others ; the ten being 
combined into the Third Battalion with a staff similar to 
that of the other two. Each company of the battalion con- 
sisted of a Captain, a Captain-Lieutenant, a First and Second 
Lieutenant, 3 Lieutenant-Fireworkers, 3 sergeants, 3 cor- 
porals, 8 bombardiers, 20 gunners, 62 matrosses, and 2 
drummers ; making a total of 105 per company. 

The total of all ranks, on the formation of the battalion, 
was 1054. At the end of the Seven Years* War, the bat- 
talion was reduced to 554 ; but as the troubles in America 
became visible, it was again increased; and in 1779, the 
establishment of all ranks stood at 1145. At the peace of 
1783, it fell to 648 ; rising, however, in 1793, during Eng- 
land's continental troubles, to 1240. It reached its maximum 
during the Peninsular War, when its strength was no less 
than 1461 of all ranks. In the year 1778, when the 4th 
Battalion was raised, two companies were taken from the 
3rd ; but they were replaced in 1779. 

For thirty years after the reductions made in 1816, the 
average strength of the battalion was 700 ; but from that 
time it gradually rose until, at the commencement of the 
war with Bussia, it stood at 1128, and in the following year 
it reached 1220. 

There is a little obscurity as to the services of this bat- 



Chap. XX. Services of the Companies. 2 1 9 

talion during the American War of Independence. One set 
of documents claims for Nos. 1 and 6 Companies, no incon- 
siderable share in the earlier||part of the campaign ; another 
asserts that to the 4th Battalion alone does all the credit, 
which the Artillery during that war especially merited, 
belong. The truth seems to be, that, in 1778, two com- 
panies of the 3rd Battalion were in America, and were 
engaged in seyeral battles; but that in 1779, the men of 
these companies were drafted into those of the 4th Battalion, 
and their officers returned to England. 

The fusion was not, however, complete ; for we find traces 
of No. 1 Company of the 3rd Battalion in America so late as 
1781, when a detachment of it was present at Gtdldford 
Court-house. 

No fewer than seven companies of the battalion were 
engaged in the West Indies in the last decade of the 
eighteenth century ; five companies served in the Peninsula, 
four being present at the Battle of Corunna; eight com- 
panies served on the Walcheren expedition; and four 
companies — Nos. 2, 4, 7, 9 — were present at the Battle 
of Waterloo. At this battle detachments of Nos. 5 and 6 
Companies were also present. 

At the commencement of the Crimean war, although the 
strength of the battalion was considerable, it only consisted 
of eight companies, two having been reduced in 1819 ; and 
of these eight, no fewer than six took part in the war. 

Appended is a list— as in the case of the 1st and 2nd 
Battalions — showing, in anticipation, the various military 
operations in which the companies of the 3rd Battalion were 
engaged — the succession of Captains, as far as can be traced 
down to 1859 — and the nomenclature introduced in that 
year, when Battalions and Companies became Brigades und 
Batteries. 



220 



Third Battalion. 



Chap. XX. 



No. 1 COMPANY, 3rd BAITALION, 

Now " A " BATTEEY, 4th BKIGADE. 



Battles, Sieges, and oiher Military operations in 
wliich the Company has been engaged. 



1776-1783. American War of Inde- 
pendence, including : — 
Capture of Charlestown, South 

Carolina, January, 1778. 
Defeat of Kebels on Kbode Island, 

29th August, 1778. 
Exi)edition on the Acushuet Kiver, 
5th September, 1778. 
. Battle of Guildford Court-house, 

15th March, 1781. 
1791-1802. West Indies. Present at 
the taking of the Island of To- 
bago, April, 1793. 
Martinique, 23rd March, 1794. 
Saint Lucia, 4th April, 1794. 
Guadaloupe, 12th April, 1794. 
Saint Lucia (2nd time), April, 1796. 
IVinidad, February, 1797. 
Porto Kico, 2nd May, 1797. 
Surinam, August, 1799. 
1809 Walcheren Expedition, and 

Siege of Flushing, July, 1809. 
1813-14 Peninsula. Present at the 

Siege of Tarragona, June, 1813. 
1854 Crimea. Affair on t he Bulganak. 
1854 Crimea. Affair at Mackenzie's 

Farm. 
1854 Battle of Alma, Sept., 1854. 
1854 Battle of Balaclava, Oct., 1854. 

1854 Battle of Inkerman, Nov., 1854. 

1855 Siege and Fall of Sebastopol, 
8th Sept., 1855. 



List of Captains who have sucorsslvely oum- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to iDtrudacUon of E^gade 
System, in 1859. 



1757 

1779 
1781 
1783 
1790 
1796 

1798 
1804 

1814 
1825 

1826 
1831 
1843 
1851 
1854 
1856 



Captain John Innes. 

Thomns Johnson. 
James Dunbar. 
Charles Smith. 
Francis Whitwortb. 
Lawrence H. New- 



»» 



ton. 
Captain 

bell. 
Captain John Briscoe. 

Archibald M. Max- 



John Sheldrake 
Alexander Camp- 



9) 



well. 
Captain 



»» 
>» 
»> 



Charles Blachley. 
John Gordon. 
W. H. Pickering. 
H. J. Thomas. 
C. H. Morris. 
U. Bent. 



Chap. XX. " 7 *' Battery^ I'^th Brigade. 



221 



Na 2 COMPANY, 3ni BATTALION, 

Now " 7 " BATTEEY, 13th BEIGADE. 



BatllM, Sieges, and otiier MiliUuy opemUons in 
which the Gompftoy has been engaged. 



1791-1802 West Indies. Present at 
the taking of the Island of To- 
bago, April, 1793. 

Martinique, 23rd March, 1794. 

Saint Lucia, 4th April, 1749. 

Guadaloupe, 12th April, 1794. 

Saint Lucia (2nd time), Apr., 1796. 

Trinidad, February, 1797. 

Porto Rico, 2 May, 1797. 

Surinam, August, 1799. 
1809 Walcheren Expedition, and 

Siege of Flushing. 
1813-1818 Holland, Netheriands, and 
France, including ; — 

Bombardment of Merxham. 

Storming of Bergen-op-Zoom. 

Engagement with French Shipping 
off Fort Frederick, on 21st March, 
1814. 

Quatre Bras. 

Battle of Waterloo. 
1856 Expedition to Crimea, and Siege 

of Sebastopol. 
1858 East Indies. Disembarked at 

Bombay, on 9th September, 1868. 



Llat of Captains who have saocesslrely oom- 
manded the Company, so fju* as can be 
traced, down to introdactton of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1761 


Captain 


Benjamin Stehelin. 


1781 


»> 


Orlando Manley. 


1793 


»> 


Abram Du Vemet. 


1801 


>» 


George B. Fisher. 


1801 


» 


Joseph Heaven. 


1801 


>» 


Frederick Griffiths. 


1802 


>} 


Henry Eveleigh. 


1806 


» 


Thomas Rogers. 


1825 


» 


William Miller. 


1826 


99 


Daniel M. Bour- 




chier 


1 


1829 


Captain 


I W. H. Stopford. 


1841 


»» 


John Somerville. 


1842 


» 
say. 


Thcophilus Deabri- 


1850 


Captain 
ville. 


James W. Dom- 


1850 


Captain 


i T. B. F. Marriott 


1865 


» 


A. C. Gleig. 


1856 


» 


U. E. F. Craufurd. 



No. 3 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now "2" BATTEEY, 13th BBIGADE. 

1761 Captain Duncan Drummond. 



1805 Expedition in Hanover. 

1807 Siege of Copenhagen. 

1809 Walcheren Expedition, and 

Siege of Flushing. 
1815-1818 In position at Waterloo, 
but not engaged. 

Siege of Cambrai, 24th June, 1815. 



1782 Captain James Sympson. 
1787 „ John Reid. 
1790 „ Bailey Willington. 
1797 „ William Spiccr. 
1804 „ Joseph Brome. 



222 



Third Battalion. 



Chap. XX, 



" 2 *' Battery, 13th Brigade continued^ 



BattlM, Sicgei, and other MilitAry operations in 
wfakfa the Company has been engaged. 



1826 Expedition to Portugal, under 
Lieut-Oeneral Sir W. H. Clinton, 
until April, 1828. 

1857 East Indies. Disembarked at 
Madras, 6th November, 1857. 



Li«t of Captains who have sncoesaiTely com- 
muided the Company, aa lar aa can be 
traced, down to lutrodnctJon of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1806 


Captain 


George Cobbe. 


1806 


>f 


John Taylor. 


1808 


ff 


William Holcroft. 


1830 


» 


Robert F. Romer. 


1841 


fiths. 


Frederick A. Grif- 


1843 


Captain 


i E. N. Wilford. 


1848 


f> 


W. M. H. Dixon. 


1854 


jj 


Richard Gregory. 


1857 


» 


Joseph Godby. 



No. 4 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now "4" BATTEKY, 3rd BRIGADE. 



1799 Holland. 

1807 Siege of Copenhagen. 

1808 Expedition to Sweden. 

1809 Battle of Corunna. 

1809 Walcheren Expedition, and 

Siege of Flushing, July, 1800. 
1815-1818 Battle of Waterloo. 

Holland and Franco, to Nov. 1818. 
1826 Expedition to Portugal, under 

Sir W. H. Clinton; returned to 

England, March, 1828. 
1855 Expedition to the Crimea, and 

Fall of Sebastopol. 



1764 
1779 
1786 
1795 
1798 
1799 
1803 
1805 

1814 
1815 
1817 
1832 
1836 
1844 

1844 
1845 
1852 
1854 



» 



99 



» 



» 



» 



» 



Captain EdNvard Foy. 
James Wood. 
Richard Dysart. 
William H. Walker. 
George Ramsa}'. 
William MUlar. 
Percy Drummond. 
„ Charles Younghus- 
band. 
Captain Frederick Gordon. 
Charles Egan. 
Cyprian Bridge. 
W illiam E. Jackson. 
Philip Sandilands. 
„ Thomas Knatch- 
bull. 
Captain Arthur GK)sset. 
„ Piercy Benn. 
„ G. B. Shakespcar. 
„ Mortimer Adye, 



>» 



» 



}> 



99 



Chap. XX. ".ff " Battery^ i ith Brigade. 



No. 5 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now " B " BATTERY, 11th BEIGADE. 



223 



BaiUfet, Slegn, and other Militaiy opentionB in 
which the Oumpany hu been engaged. 







♦ 


♦ ♦ 


1801 Expedition to Egypt, and Battle 


1764 


Captait 


1 Josiah Jefifreys. 


of Alexandria. 


1777 


>» 


Bicbard Chapman. 


1809 Battle of Cornnna. 


1782 


>» 


Francis M. Dixon. 


1813 Battle of Vittoria. 


1783 


>» 


Robert Douglas. 


1813 Siege of Sebastian, July and 


1794 


» 


John A. Schalch. 


August, 1813. 


1794 


» 


William Bentham. 


1855 Expeiiition to Crimea, and Fall 


1801 


» 


Robert Beevor. 


of Sebastopol. 


1808 


»> 


George Beane. 


1858 P^iast Indies. Disembarked at 


1812 


»> 


Thomas Hutches- 


Calcutta, 16th January, 1858. 




son. 






1830 


Captain William Bell. 




1841 


»> 


John Bloomfield. 


• 


1841 


»f 


W. B. Ingilby. 




1841 


»» 


Robert Bum. 




1849 


n 


P. H, Mundy. 




1851 


>i 


J. W. Ormsby. 




1854 


»> 


P. F. G. Scott. 




1854 


»» 


F. B. Ward. 




1867 


»> 


E. E. Dynelly. 




1858 


n 


S. M, Grylls. 




1858 


»» 


G. C. Henry. 



List of Captains who have saooMslvely com- 
manded Uie Oonmany, as flu- as can be 
traced* down to introdnction of Brigade 
Syntern, in 1869. 



No. 6 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now " 7 " BATTEEY, 3rd BEIGADE. 

1770-83 American War of Inde- 
pendence : — 

Defeat of the Americans on Rhode 
Island, 29th August, 1778. 

Expedition on the Acushuet River, 
September, 1778. 

Expedition to Horseneck, in Con- 
necticut, February, 1779. 

Engaged at the Capture of Charles- 
town, South Carolina, 1780. 
1791-1802 West Indies. Present at 
the Capture of the Island of To- 
bago, April, 1793. 



1759 


Captain Thomas Smith. 


1771 


>f 


Peter Traile. 


1782 


»9 


John Downing. 


1797 


»> 


John Godfrey. 


1798 


n 


Edward W. Drosier. . 


1805 


19 


Robert Truscott 


1814 


f) 


Arthur Hunt. 


1831 


»> 


William Brereton. 


1837 


ft 


John R. Homsby. 


1838 


99 


H. R. Moor. 


1840 


f> 


Henry Stanway. 


1840 


99 


John R. Homsby. 



2 24 



Third Battalion. 



Chap. XX. 



Cl 



7 " Batt^y, 3rd Brigade continued — 



Battles, SifgM, and other Military operations in 
which the Ck>mpany has been engaged. 



Martinique, 23rd March, 1794. 

Saint Lucia, 4th April, 1794. 

Guadaloupe, 12th April, 1794. 

Saint Lucia (2nd time), Apr., 1796. 

I'rinidad, February, 1797. 

Porto Rico, May, 1797. 

Surinam, August, 1799. 
1808-9 Expedition to Peninsula, and 

Battle of Conmna. 
1813-1818 Holland, Netheriands, and 
France, including : — 

Bombardment of Antwerp, and 
Bombardment of Maubeuge (at- 
tached to Saxon Army). 
1855 Expedition to Crimea, and Fall 

of Sebastopol. 



List of Captains who have snocessivelyooni- 
mandi-d the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to intnxlaction of Klgade 
System, in 1869. 



1846 Captain D. E. Wood. 
1848 „ G. A. F. De Rinzy. 
1856 „ H. A. Vernon. 



}> 



I 



No. 7 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTERY, 7th BEIGADE. 



1790-1802 West Indies. Present at 




* 


* ♦ 


the taking of the Island of To- 


1763 


Cai>tain ITiomas Howdell. 


bago, April, 1793. 


1771 




Elh's Walker. 


Martinique, 23rd March, 1704. 


1782 




Edward Fage. 


Saint Lucia, 4th April, 1794. 


1793 




F. L. Deruvynes, 


Guadaloupe, 12th April, 1794. 


1796 




George W. Dixon. 


Saint Lucia (2nd time) 4th April, 


1800 




Joseph McLean. 


1796. 


1806 




John Matthews. 


Trinidad, February, 1797. 


1808 




William Cleeve. 


T'orto Rico, May, 1797. 


1808 




George W. Uiictt. 


Surinam, August, 1799. 


1825 




William D. Jones. 


1809 Walcheren Expedition, and 


1828 




John E. G. Parker 


Siege of Flushing. 


1829 




W. D. Jones. 


1815 Campaign of Waterloo. 


1837 




Reynolds Palmer. 


1815-18 Holland and France, in- 


1837 




Charles Otway. 


cluding the Siege of Camhrai, 


1846 




Alfretl Tylee. 


24th June, 1815. 


1854 




R. O'Connell. 



Chap. XX. " D " Battery, ^h Brigade. 



225 



No. 8 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 

Now " D " BATTEBY, 4th BRIGADE. 



BoUlofl, Sicge^ and other Military operations in 
whidi the Company has been engaged. 



1791-1802 West Indies. Present at 
the taking of the Island of To- 
bago, April, 1793. 
Martinique, 23rd March, 1794. 
Saint Lucia, 4th April, 1794. 
Ouadaloupe, 12th April, 1794. 
Saint Lucia (2nd time), 4th April, 

1796. 
Trinidad, February, 1797. 
Porto Rico, May, 1797. 
Surinam, August, 1799. 
1807 Siege of Coi)enhagen. 
1809 Battle of Corunna. 
1809 Walchercn Expedition : engaged 

several times. 
1854 Battle of Alma. 

1854 Battle of Inkerman. 

1855 Siege and Fall of Scbastopol. 



Lint of Oaptalns who have sucoeidvely com- 
manded the Company, as fkr aa can ba 
traced, down to Introdociiun of Bdgade 
System* in 1869. 



1762 
1773 
1782 
1794 
1801 
1804 

1806 

1808 
1808 
1809 
1811 
1814 
1829 
1835 
1845 
1846 
1846 
1847 
1854 



Captain Charles Torriano. 

William Borthwick. 

Joseph Bamos. 

(George Lewis. 

Charles Newhouse. 

Charles H. Fitz- 
mayer. 

Captain John W. Eettlo- 
well. 

William Stewart 

Edward Wilmot. 

Robert Douglas. 

George Turner. 

Henry Bates. 

Forbes Macbean. 

Richard Hardinge. 

John Gk)re. 

J. W. Ormsby. 

George Maclean. 

J. W. Fitzmayer. 

C. T. Franklin. 



n 
If 

» 

» 



VOL. I. 



226 



Third Battalion. 



Chap. XX. 



No. 9 OTMPANY, 3rd BATOALION, 
Reduced 1819. 



mttlca, Sicgra, and other Military operations in 
whldi the Company has been engaged. 



List of Captains who have sacocasivelyoom- 
manded the Company, as for as can bo 
traced. 



1791-1802 West Indies. Engaged at 


1759 Oiptain 


I John Dovers. 


the taking of the Island of To- 


1771 „ 


William Johnstone. 


bago, April, 1793. 




1779 „ 


James Sowerby. 


Martinique, March, 1794. 




1793 


Edward Ilowortli. 


Saint Lucia, April, 1794. 




1793 


John Wilks. 


Ouadaloupe, April, 1794. 




1799 


John Duncan. 


Saint Lucia (2nd time), April, 


I79r». 


18a3 


Charies C. Binjx- 


Trmidad, February, 1797. 




ham. 




Porto Rico, May, 1797. 




1803 Captain Peter Fycrs. 


Surinam, Augunt, 1799. 




1813 „ 


Lewis Carmichacl. 


1807 Siege of Copenhagen. 




, 1814 „ 


Charles F. Sand- 


1809 Walcheren Expedition 


and 


ham. 




Siege of Flushing. 








1815 Battle of Waterioo. 

















No. 10 COMPANY, 3rd BATTALION, 
li&iuced 1819. 



1791-1802 West Indies. Engaged at 
the taking of the Island of To- 
bago, April, 1793. 

Martinique, March, 1794. 

Saint Lucia, April, 1794. 

Guadalouixj, April, 1794. 

Saint Lucia (2nd time), April, 
1796. 

Trinidad, February, 1797. 

Porto Rico, May, 1797. 

Surinam, August, 1799. 
1809 Expedition to Walcheren, and 
Siege of Flushing. 



1758 Captain William McIanmI. 



1779 
1780 
1782 

1791 
1793 
1796 
1804 
1813 
1816 



Captain David Vans, 

William Tiffin. 
Alexander Macken- 



»» 



zie. 
Captain Frederick Irwin. 

Samuel D.Edwanls. 
Richard Hamilton. 
Henry Marsh. 
John Chester. 
„ Thomas V. Stmu- 
benzee. 



fy 



f) 



» 



II 



( 22 



/ 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The Siege op Belleisle. 

A LTHOUGH the History of the Koyal Artillery is the 
^^ history of England's campaigns since the existence of 
the Begiment, there are occasional chapters in these wars 
more interesting to the Artilleryman, than to the ordinary 
military student, or the general reader. There have been 
events which have had no perceptible effect on the progress 
of the campaigns, and yet are indissolubly woven in our 
Begimental annals. Of such events the siege of Belleisle is 
a type. 

During the Seven Years' War, England made various di- 
versions—in addition to those in America and the East 
Indies — to distract the French in their operations against 
the Allied Army in Germany. One of these was the attack 
on the Island of Belleisle on the west coast of France, be- 
tween Port Louis and the mouth of the Loire. It was devised 
in the hope of inducing the French to detach some of their 
forces from Germany, for the defence of their own coasts ; 
but in this respect it failed. Another motive, which inspired 
the English Government, was that they might gratify the 
lust for conquest, which at that time animated the people, 
whetted instead of satiated by their successes in the East 
and in the West. 

To a certain extent, it succeeded in this ; but after count- 
ing the cost of the victory, it required the most exaggerated 
statements on the part of the Ministry to reconcile the 
nation to the expenditure of life and money caused by 
the Siege of Belleisle, if indeed it can be said ever to have 
been reconciled. 

The English nation has characteristics, which are dis- 
played at every stage of its history. Lavish during war in 

Q 2 



228 Tlu Siege of Belleisle. Chap. XXI. 

order to gain its ends, it is disposed to be penurious during 
peace ; and the favourite stalking-horse to power then is a 
profession of economy. The whole of Europe stood amazed 
at the readiness with which the English nation granted 
enormous supplies for the carrying on of the war ending in 
1762 ; and this had perhaps as much effect as military suc- 
cess in persuading the French to consent to the disastrous 
conditions of the Peace of Paris. It may be said that, as a 
nation, the English sink political differences during war, and 
show a union almost peculiar to themselves.. The only case 
in which war and political differences existed simultaneously 
to any great extent was during the American War of Inde- 
pendence ; the reasons then were exceptional, and the result 
fatal. 

As a consequence of political union, comes a demand for 
vigorous administration ; and the success of Mr. Pitt's minis- 
try was due to his knowledge of this. The Siege of Belleisle 
was an illustration of this knowledge. It cannot be said 
that in time of peace the English insist on such administra- 
tive vigour ; in fact, vigorous action in the head of a depart- 
ment is viewed with distrust and suspicion more frequently 
than with admiration. It is by remembering considerations 
such as these that a military operation such as is now to be 
described can be understood, almost valueless in its political 
results, expensive in its conduct, and — in a military point of 
view — worthless, save in so far as it strengthened (as only 
success can do) the e&'prii and courage of the Army. 

But to the Artilleryman this siege has an interest far 
above political considerations; it was one of the earliest 
schools for developing that which is the most scientific, 
albeit less brilliant branch of the Regiment, — Siege Artillery. 
And it was suitable that the man who commanded the siege- 
train on this occasion should be one eminent afterwards in 
the scientific as well as the military world : a Fellow of the 
Boyal Society as well as a practical soldier : a fit predecessor 
to the many who have since distinguished the Begiment by 
their learning — Brigadier Desaguliers. 

The Artillery present at the siege consisted of two com- 



Chap. XXI. List of Officers engaged. 229 

panies from Portsmouth, Captain Tovey's and Captain Hind's, 
with about seventy miners ; besides eleven detachments for 
battalion guns, and others for service on board the bomb- 
vessels. 

There were no less than thirty-seven Artillery officers em- 
ployed in the expedition. Of these, Captain-Lieutenant 
Muckell was killed, and the following were wounded : Briga- 
dier Desaguliers, Lieutenant N. Kindersley, — the Acting 
Adjutant, Lieutenant E. Williams, and Lieutenant-Fire- 
worker A. McEenzie. The following is a list of the officers 
who did duty in the trenches, in addition to those named 
above: — 

Captain A. Tovey. 
„ K. Hind. 
Captain-Lieutenant Williams. 

Stehelin. 
Jokes. 



Grove. 



Martin. 
Lieutenant Wilson. 
Walker. 






BOGERS. 

Scott. 
Walker. 
Pearse. 
Brietzche. 

GOWEN. 

Turner. 

SCHALCH. 

Lawson. 
Parry. 
Lieutenant-Fireworker Rosat. 

Skottowe. 
„ „ Mayne. 

There were also two medical officers attached to the Artil- 
lery. 

When, in the early part of 1761, preparations for an ex- 
pedition on a large scale were commenced at Portsmouth, it 



230 The Siege of Belleisle. Chap. XXI. 

was imagined that the destination of the fleet was either the 
East or West Indies. The vessels were provisioned for 
twelve months ; there were no less than 35 transports ; and 
the only difficulty that spectators and gossips had to over- 
come was the fact that an immense number of flat-bottomed 
boats, capable each of carrying 60 men, was to form part of 
the fleet. Those were days when newspaper reporters and 
interviewers were not licensed as now ; and when inquisitive 
members of Parliament had to content themselves with very 
evasive replies. 

In addition to a powerful fleet and Artillery, no less than 
fifteen battalions of infantry and three troops of Burgoyne's 
horse accompanied the expedition. The command of the 
troops was given to Major-General Studholm Hodgson, with 
several Brigadiers to assist him, some of whom bore names 
which we shall meet again during the War of Independence, 
Howe, Burgoyne, and Carleton. The fleet was under the 
command of Commodore Eeppel ; and it was intended that 
much of the work should be done by it, as the nation had of 
late been somewhat outspoken as to the inaction of the navy, 
nor were Admiral Byng and Minorca forgotten. 

When the fleet first sailed from Portsmouth on the 29th 
March, 1761, Captain Tovey commanded the Artillery; but 
on the 5th April Colonel Desaguliers was ordered by the King 
to proceed (with the rank of Brigadier) to Portsmouth : the 
miners were ordered to the same place to join Captain Hind's 
company ; the whole to proceed without delay to Belleisle, 
whither it was now known the expedition had gone. The 
gallant Brigadier was no sluggard ; at midnight on the 6th 
April — those were not the days of railways — he reached 
Portsmouth, sent word to Captain Hind to have his company 
ready at a moment's notice, went himself on board the 
* Blast * transport on the afternoon of the 7th, and sailed at 
daybreak the following morning. 

The same energy displayed itself on his reaching Belleisle. 
The expedition had already met with misfortune. An attempt 
had been made on the 8th April to land 300 men on the 
south-east of the island, after a heavy and apparently sue- 



Chap. XXI. Arrival of the Troops, 231 

cessful bombardment from the fleet ; but the enemy charged 
them with superior numbers before they could form, and 
took them all prisoners, besides inflicting a loss on some 
detachments which landed to assist them, of 37 killed and 
76 wounded. 

A heavy gale followed, in which 20 boats were lost and 
many vessels driven to sea ; the introduction to a continua- 
tion of frightful weather which lasted during the whole siege. 
On the 12th April, Brigadier Desaguliers arrived ; learnt 
what had taken place ; immediately ordered the battalion 
guns to be placed in the Ordnance boats, — ready to accompany 
the troops on the next attempt at a landing, coming into 
action so as to enable the infantry to form up on the shore ; 
got his warrant as commanding the Boyal Artillery published 
in orders ; appointed Captain-Lieutenant Stehelin his Brigade 
Major ; and volunteered to reconnoitre the island for a land- 
ing-place. 

On the 22ud, Captain Hind's company, with the miners, 
some other troops, and an immense quantity of ArtiUery 
stores, reached Belleislo. It had by this time been resolved 
to attempt a landing near the place, where the first had 
failed ; but with a view to deceiving the enemy, the newly- 
arrived troops were ordered to get into the ship's boats, and 
make a feint of landing at the Point of Sauzon. The feint 
succeeded ; the fear of their landing detained a large body 
of the enemy whose presence would have been invaluable in 
checking the real landing, which was now effected, under 
cover of the fire from the fieet, and assisted by the panic 
which was created among the enemy by the appearance on 
their flank of a number of men who had climbed up some 
difficult precipices, at a little distance from the spot where 
the main body landed. 

In addition to a body of 900 marines, which landed with 
the other troops, the Commodore collected 500 from the 
ships, and landed them ; and as the Colonel of the Marines, 
McKenzie, had been wounded, the command of this large body 
devolved upon a Captain named Collins, who on account of 
the responsibility of his position received the rank of Major. 



232 714^ Siege of Belleislc. Chap. XXI. 

For some days the weather was so tempestuous that it was 
impossible to land the heavy guns, or Artillery stores ; and 
the enemy was enabled to strengthen his position unmolested. 
The bomb-vessels stood close in to the shore, and plied the 
Citadel, but without much effect. Picquets of 500 men were 
on duty every night in the English camp ; the inhabitants 
of Palais, the capital of the Island, were strictly watched ; 
and a village in a good position was taken and set fire to, 
from which circumstance it was always after this time called 
" the Burnt Village." The Artillerymen were hard at work 
making their batteries and parallels, assisted by large 
working parties from the Line ; and every officer in the Army 
who knew anything of engineering was invited to submit his 
name with a view to employment at an increased rate of pay. 
The trench work was not a favourite duty with the infantry, 
even after working-pay was allowed for it; and Brigadier 
Desaguliers had to make the strongest representations on 
the subject to General Hodgson. The men did not dislike 
idling and loafing about the trenches ; it was the spade-work 
which was unpopular; and this led to an amusing order 
being issued, that any Artillery officer who found a man 
near his post, idling or curious, was to " lay hold of him, 
'' and make him work for 12 hours." 

The town of Palais was soon occupied by the English 
troops, and being near the Citadel, to which the enemy had 
withdrawn, it afforded excellent cover for the English marks- 
men, whom the reluctance of the enemy to fire on the town 
left quite unmolested. 

The armament for the batteries had at length been landed 
and mounted, although not without the greatest difficulty. 
The Brigadier had at this time, and later on, repeatedly to 
acknowledge the assistance he received from the Navy, be- 
tween which and the Artillery there was then, as now, a 
strong eftdeftde cordiale. 

And now commenced the regular siege : — Sebastopol in 
miniature ; daily and nightly bombardments ; the trenches 
flooded with rain ; and Artillerymen so reduced in numbers 
as to be without the requisite rest or relief. Three impor- 



Chap. XXI. Bombardment of Palais. 233 

tant batteries were opened against the Citadel, known respec- 
tively as the 16-Gun, the 10-Gun, and the 4-GTin Batteries. 
Mortar batteries were made, as the siege progressed, con- 
taining two 13-inch, three lO-inch, and six 8-inch land- 
service mortars; two 13-inch, and two 10-inch sea-service 
mortars ; besides fifteen Boyal mortars, and ten Goe-horn's. 
The guns in the batteries were heavy 24-poanders, medium 
12-pounders, and 8-inch and 4^-inch howitzers. There were 
a few 3-pounder guns, and the Battalion guns, which were 
6-pounders. Although it is somewhat anticipating matters, 
it may here be mentioned that the expenditure of ammuni- 
tion by the Artillery during the siege amounted to 1500 
barrels of powder, 17,000 shot, and 12,000 shell. 

The infantry had been divided into three brigades, with a 
total of all ranks of 6254, exclusive of Artillery, Marines, 
and Burgoyne's horse, the last-named being chiefly employed 
in duties of transport and foraging. The duties, which were 
very heavy, were taken alternately by brigades. The marines 
did duty in corps, and had to find 378 men for various guards 
every day. 

When Palais was taken, the bells of the churches became, 
according to custom, the property of the commanding officer 
of Artillery. A piteous letter, however, was written to him 
by the priests, pleading the poverty of their parishes, the 
destitution of many members of their congregations, and 
the precarious livelihood earned by the most fortunate, con- 
cluding by offering 300 livres in ransom for their bells. 
" So miserable and wretched," wrote the Sector of Palais, 
" was his parish since the bombardment — more so even than 
" before, when no repairs could be executed without the assist- 
" ance of private charity, that the Church would be unable to 
** exist, did the Commandant of Artillery act on his rights 
" with rigour." They therefore prayed him to leave the bells 
untouched, that the services might be notified to the people; 
and to suffer them to be redeemed by the sum above men- 
tioned : with which request Brigadier Desaguliers complied. 

Various interesting occurrences took place early in the 
siege. On the 2nd May, some guns under cavalry escort 



234 The Siege of Belleisle. Chap. XXI . 

wore ordercK.1 to occupy a viUage on the left of the English 
camp, which haa\, given considerable annoyance. So warm, 
however, was their .reception, that the cavalry withdrew, 
with some precipitation. ^The guns pressed on, nevertheless, 
unsupported, for about 700 V^rds, cannonaded the village, 
and dislodged the enemy. Arfett^ery in a village, without 
escort, was a strong temptation ; allM^owards ^^^g^^'^" 
men made an attempt to cut them off frofe"^^f ^^ ^^^' 
The gunners were awake, withdrew their guns dSSHI^-^ ^ 
rising ground about 1450 yards from the Citadel, and 
their assailants at bay. Next morning, General Hodgsoi! 
visited the spot, and was so charmed with its natural advan- 
tages that he ordered it to be entrenched, and strong bat- 
teries mounted. The same was done at this time in front of 
the Burnt Village, about 900 yards from the Citadel. 

The enemy did not content himself with answering tlic 
English cannonade. Sorties were frequent ; and on one dark 
night, Major-General Crawford and his staff, taken uiufcwares, 
were made prisoners in the trenches. Many more W(>uld 
have met the same fate, but for the presence of mind of i\\S^A 
gunners in charge of two light field-pieces which happened ^ 
to be in the trenches that evening. They were charged by 
several hundred men, including a spiking party, but with 
well-aimed and frequent volleys of grape, the gunners utterly 
routed them. 

The fire of the enemy was by no means contemptible ; in 
fact, until a number of their guns were dismounted, it was 
both admirable and effective. On one occasion, a sergeant 
and thirteen men in the trenches were killed by the explosion 
of one of the enemy's shells ; and so numerous at last were 
the casualties among the Artillery, that the Brigadier had to 
apply for 200 men from the infantry to assist in working 
the guns. There was great difficulty in obtaining even that 
number : the duties of the camp were hard ; and the impor- 
tance of keeping the Artillery ranks at a siege well filled 
was not yet fully understood. But with the progress of the 
niege, came an increase of wisdom ; and, before long, not a 
requisition from the Brigadier was unattended to. 



i- 



Chap. XXI. Effective Fire of tfie Artillery. 235 

All the available sea-service mortars had been landed from 
the ships ; but a few vessels of lighter draught stood in to 
attack the Citadel &om the sea with their guns. The effect 
produced was but slight, perhaps because— as an old diary 
of the siege says — " There were no Artillery people, either 
" officers or men, aboard." 

The English works were gradually approached to within 
musketry range of the Citadel ; and to enable the working 
parties to carry on their duties without molestation from the 
enemy's marksmen, a heavy and somewhat wasteful fire was 
kept up from the batteries, which had at length to be put a 
stop to by the Brigadier, for reasons of economy. 

That the fire of the English Artillery was effective, was 

scertained from prisoners, who said, " Que c'etoit un feu 

infernal, et qu'on ne voyoit ni ciel, ni terre ; " and, when on 

role in the town of Palais, a favourite joke among the 

uch prisoners, when they saw an Artillery officer ap- 

i^ching, was to run behind the nearest cover, shouting 

i-re la bombe ! Gare la bombe ! " 

vVhen the second parallel was opened, the Navy com- 

enced landing some 32-pounders to arm a battery which 

me amateur engineers had made, and as additional mortar 

teries had also been constructed, the works were now so 

nsive, that the Artillery was utterly unable to man them 

General Hodgson, accordingly, issued a standing order 

t as many men from the infantry as Brigadier Desaguliers 

.uld require were to be given, and while employed with 

3 Artillery, their pay and allowances were to be made equal 

those of the matrosses. 

After the occupation of Palais by the British troops, much 
rouble was caused by drunkenness among the men, and by 
*te concomitants, absence and insubordination. The Provost- 
marshal was at last ordered to live there, and got very 
^tensive powers. Inter alia, he was permitted " to Jiang any 

* soldiers committing any kind of irregularities ; above all 

* to lay hold of any soldier whom he found drunk on duty, 
" and when he became sober to hang him without trial." 
^ When the civil officials of Palais had occasion to come 




4 



p. 



236 The Siege of Belleisle. Chap. xxi. 

into the trenches on business, they were always blindfolded 
while there. Their business was generally of a commercial 
nature : they were ready to accept English money for their 
wares, but were anxious to be the appraisers of the value of 
the foreign coins. At last, it was necessary to publish in 
orders a standard, regulating the comparative values of 
French and English specie, — the guinea being valued at 24 
livres ; and if any tradesman was found cheating in this 
respect, he was made liable to confiscation of his goods, and 
corporal punishment. 

As the siege approached its end, many of the redoubts 
near the Citadel fell into the hands of the British ; and the 
duties of the officers of Artillery became somewhat lighter. 
It is pleasant to find that, instead of availing themselves 
of their comparative leisure, they all immediately ofiered 
their services as engineers, an offer which was greedily 
accepted. 

The Ordnance stores were sadly reduced, and the Navy had 
not another round to spare ; so that fresh requisitions had to 
be sent to England more than once. Pending a reply, a 
very strict economy was enjoined ; firing in volleys was for- 
bidden, and single rounds were directed to be fired day and 
night at stated intervals. Twenty-four rounds per gun was 
laid down as the daily maximum; but an exception was 
permitted, should the Citadel seem to be on fire, in which 
case even volleys were allowed. Even to the end, when the 
number of available guns in the Citadel was much reduced, 
the fire of the enemy was excellent ; twice the English 
magazines were blown up, and only five days before the 
capitulation a most severe loss was inflicted on the be- 
siegers, Brigadier Desaguliers himself being among the 
wounded. 

The enemy was able by means of subterranean passages 
and signalling to keep up a constant communication with 
the mainland. Nor did he confine himself to these. An 
apparently innocent and respectable old lady was found 
traversing the English lines one morning under suspicious 
circumstances. She was questioned without success. Her 



Chap. XXI. More Batteries Opened. 237 

profession — she said — was simple ; she was a washerwoman, 
and in the exercise of her vocation had she been seized. 
A stronger measure was taken : the old lady was searched. 
Her countenance fell as the operation commenced ; fell yet 
more as dozens of letters were produced from hidden places, 
containing piteous appeals for assistance from the beleaguered 
citizens. But even yet she protested her innocence, her as- 
tonishment, and her trade ; and, yet protesting, with a rope 
round her neck, she was led away. Whether the rope was 
afterwards tightened or not, the story does not tell. 

Breaching batteries were opened in front of the second 
parallel and of the town of Palais, the latter at a distance of 
230 yards from the Citadel. It was armed with 24-pounders 
by the Artillery in a single night, although the guns had 
to be dragged over frightful roads from the landing-place, 
and without any appliances for diminishing the labour. The 
zeal and willingness of the men were unmistakable. Yet a 
third breaching battery was opened to the left of St. Sebas- 
tian's Church, about 380 yards from the Citadel ; and the 
guns of the original 16-gun battery were also brought into 
play to assist in making the breach. At first the energies of 
the Artillery were confined to a breach which was attempted 
in the Kedan du Havre, between the Bastion du Gouverne- 
ment and the Bastion du Cavalier ou du Koy. But a second 
breach was afterwards commenced in the latter of these 
Bastions. Powerful enfilading batteries of howitzers and 
12-pounders were opened at the same time, whose fire proved 
most efficacious, as was seen after the capitulation by the 
number of damaged and dismounted guns along the faces of 
the works. From the end of May to the 7th June, the day 
when the Citadel surrendered, there was daily and hourly 
expectation of submission by the Garrison. The prisoners 
who were taken at this time all agreed in saying that the 
commandant merely waited for a breach being made, before 
he should capitulate. Not merely was the enemy's fire 
becoming daily weaker, but the ammunition was evidently 
falling short, wooden shot being not unfrequently fired by 
him. 



238 The Siege of Belleisle. Chap. XXI. 

Mining had been commenced by the English, a shaft 
having been sunk under a house in Palais, and a passage 
commenced under the ditch — which was wet at high water — 
towards the Bedan du Havre. The miners also made several 
attempts by night, when the tide was out, to cross the ditch 
and enlarge the breaches made by the batteries, but without 
much success, the enemy being alert, and throwing hand- 
grenades among them as they crossed. 

On the 4th June, the King's birthday, a tremendous fire 
was kept up from all the batteries, and additional ammuni- 
tion having arrived from England, the Brigadier gave par- 
mission for thirty rounds per gun, instead of twenty-four, 
being fired from the ordinary batteries — no limit being 
placed on the number to be fired from the breaching bat- 
teries. The mortar batteries were now ^kept silent, the 
powder being more profitably employed for the guns firing 
against the breaches. 

On the morning of the 7th June, no less than ninety-three 
pieces of ordnance were in use against the Citadel, and on 
this day the long-expected white flag was seen, and an 
officer came out to make the best terms he could for the 
garrison. 

Those were, briefly, that the Citadel with all its stores 
should be handed over to the British troops : that the French 
garrison should be provided with transport to the nearest 
French port ; that the sick and wounded left behind should 
be treated in the same manner as the British soldiers ; and 
that the inhabitajits of the island should be allowed full per- 
mission to worship according to the rites of the Roman 
Catholic religion. Further, in consideration of the gallant 
defence made by the Chevalier de St. Croix and his troops, 
they were permitted to march out of the Citadel with the 
honours of war, drums beating, colours flying, lighted 
matches, and three pieces of cannon with twelve rounds 
each ; and each soldier carrying fifteen rounds of ammunition 
in his cartouche box. 

An inventory of the Ordnance and stores was at once 
taken by Brigadier Desaguliers ; and on a garrison for the 



Chap. XXI. Incidents of the Siege, 239 

island being decided on, the following Artillery officers were 
selected to remain behind, and form part of it: — Captain 
Hind, Captain Lieutenant Martin, Lieutenant Bogers, and 
Lieutenant-Fireworkers Rosat, Skottowe, and Mayne. The 
remainder of the Artillery embarked on Christmas Day, 1761, 
for England. 

Among the orders issued during the siege, which enable 
one to form an idea of the weather which prevailed, is one 
directing the hides of all animals killed for the troops to be 
taken to the trenches for the use of the Artillery in making 
their expense-magazines water-tight. 

From an old order-book in the Eoyal Artillery Library 
the discipline of the troops after the siege, and the means 
taken to enforce it, may be ascertained. Three men of the 
75th Regiment having been found guilty of drunkenness 
and absence from the King's works, received 300 lashes each, 
and were debarred from employment on the works again. 
Two men of Colonel Morgan's Regiment having been con- 
victed of disorderly behaviour were sentenced to receive 200 
lashes each ''on their bare backs;" and another, in the 
19th Regiment, received 100 lashes for drunkenness and dis- 
obedience. A man in Crawford's Regiment, who had been 
convicted of prevarication on a court-martial by which one 
of his officers was tried, was sentenced to receive 500 lashes ; 
but as it appeared by the evidence that he had been under 
pressure and undue influence by the prisoner at the time, 
the sentence was remitted. 

There seems to have been a want of zeal on the part of 
the chaplains, if one may judge from the following order \ — 
" Palais, 26 November, 1761. Whenever any patient dies in 
" any of the Grand Hospitals, thp principal surgeon attached 
" to the Hospital where the patient dies is immediately to 
" send a written report of his death, and the time he would 
" have him interred, to the visiting chaplain then in waiting, 
" who is, conformable to a former order of Major-General 
" Hodgson, to attend the corpse at the grave, and read the 
" burial-service over it. General Hodgson is extremely con- 
" cerned that he has occasion to repeat the latter part of this 



240 Tlu Siege of Belleisle. Chap. xxi. 

'' order, and expects for the fntnre that he shall not hear 
" any complaints on this subject." 

It may be mentioned, in concluding this chapter, that at 
the Peace of 1763 Belleisle was returned to the French in 
exchange for Minorca, which England had lost at the com- 
mencement of the Seven Years* War. 



( MI ) 



CHAPTER XXII. 



Peace. 



AT the conclusion of the war in 1763, the reductions in 
the Begiment were carried out on a different system 
from that which had hitherto prevailed. At the Peace of 
Aix-la-Ghapelle, entire companies had been reduced, and the 
establishment of the remaining companies was left unchanged. 
Now, the cadres of the three Battalions with their com- 
panies remained, but the establishment of the latter was 
materially reduced. Besides the Cadet company, there were 
now thirty others; and the total in each company of all 
ranks was — as it had been twenty years before — 107. But 
the following reduction was now ordered — one Lieutenant- 
Fireworker, one Sergeant, one Corporal, four bombardiers, 
twelve gunners, and thirty-two matrosses per company, 
reducing the total from 107 to 57, a fifer having been added 
to each. The supernumerary fireworkers were put on half- 
pay, and brought in as vacancies occurred, — the last being 
absorbed in 1767. 

From 1763 to 1771 was a singularly uneventful period 
in the history of the Begiment. One Battalion was quar- 
tered in America, its head-quarters being at Woolwich ; the 
companies of another were divided between Gibraltar and 
Minorca, and the third was in Great Britain. The companies 
in the East Indies remained as before until 1765. A relief 
of the 2nd by the 1st Battalion took place towards the end of 
this time; and the companies at home were periodically 
relieved as at present. One peculiarity, however, existed 
then, which does so no longer. When two or more compa- 
nies were required from Woolwich for out-stations at home, 
the Captains were ordered to meet at the Commandant's 
office, and draw lots for their destinations. As a means of 
silencing grumblers, it was certainly advantageous. 

VOL. I. R 



242 Peace. Chap. XXI I. 



Although England was at peace, other countries had their 
troubles; and Portugal, being in distress as regarded her 
Artillery, applied during this time for the services of Captain 
Macbean, who had served her so well before, and various 
other officers of the Kegiment. The request was granted : 
the officers being made supernumerary, their promotion going 
on, but their pay coming from the Portuguese Government. 
Captain Macbean reached the highest rank in the Portuguese 
service, and all the others received the strongest commenda- 
tions. — One — Captain-Lieutenant Torke^died in Portugal : 
the same officer, who, as a subaltern, with a handful of men, 
managed to get a gun up the heights above Quebec, when 
Wolfe made his famous and successful attack. 

This was not the first instance of a Foreign Grovemment 
paying the compliment to the Boyal Artillery of asking 
assistance from its ranks. In 1744, the King of Sardinia 
asked and obtained the services of five officers and twenty- 
four men of the Eoyal Artillery, who were on board the 
bomb-vessels in the Mediterranean ; and they served with 
distinction in his Army until taken prisoners at the capture 
of Montalban and Montleuze. 

Some changes in the dress of the officers were made during 
this time. In 1768 white waistcoats, instead of scarlet, and 
white breeches were adopted both for officers and men. In 
1770, swords were substituted for the fusees which had 
hitherto been the arms of the officers, and the same sword 
exercise was adopted as was in use among dragoons. At the 
same time, the Begiment adopted the German mode of wear- 
ing the sash round the waist, instead of over the right 
shoulder, as hitherto. Epaulettes were also substituted for 
laced shoulder-knots. The non-commissioned officers and 
men wore their hair plaited, and turned up behind with a 
black ribbon or tape, three quarters of a yard long, in a hyw- 
knot where tied ; and if any men were debarred by nature 
or accident from wearing their hair sufficiently long, they 
were compelled to wear a false plait — anticipating by a 
century the present custom of the other sex. 

The letter-books of this time are chiefly devoted to cor- 



Chap. XXII. General Williamson, 243 

respondence on matters connected with clothing, promotion 
and reliefs. On the first named subject, the correspondence 
with Major James, who commanded at New York, is par- 
ticularly voluminous. 

Promotion was slow ; and when accelerated by retire- 
ment of officers, the system pursued was peculiar. For 
example, it was decided to remove Captain-Lieutenant 
Rogers to the half-pay list. His half-pay, — six shillings 
per diem, was to be augmented by two shillings from the 
Board of Ordnance; but — by an ingenious arrangement, 
whereby the Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, and Lieu- 
tenant-Fireworker, who got promotion, were made to remain 
on their old rate of pay, six shillings and fourpence per 
diem was saved towards Captain Bogers' half-pay, and the 
Board had only to find the daily sum of one shilling and eight- 
pence. At this time, in the year 1765, the Board placed the 
responsibility of the men's clothing on the Colonels of Bat- 
talions, declining any further interference. The wisdom of 
the change— except in so far as it saved trouble to the 
Honourable Board — was questionable ; for some Colonels 
took a very liberal view of their discretion and power in the 
matter, going so far even as to alter the colour as well as 
the shape of the various articles of their men's uniform. 

An excellent and hospitable officer. General Williamson, 
now commanded at Woolwich ; and one of his invitations to 
his friends is so quaint as to be worthy of reproduction: — 
" July 25th, 1767. The gentlemen of twenty years' acquaint- 
^' ance are desired to meet General Williamson, and dine at 
" * The Bull ' on Shooter's Hill, on Monday next, 1st August, 
" their names to be sent to Dr. Lrwin. Dinner on table at three 
'o'clock." The General had a son in the Eegiment, at this 
time in New York, who was as great a favourite as his father. 

This time of peace was beneficial to the Boyal Military 
Academy. More time was devoted to the curriculum, and 
inducements to proficiency held out successfully to the cadets. 
The King and Queen paid a visit to the Academy, among 
the other lions of Woolwich. It was on this occasion that 
" their Majesties saw many curious firings ; among the rest 

B 2 



244 Peace, Chap. XXII. 

" a large iron cannon, fired by a lock like a common gun; a 
" heavy 12-pounder, fired 23 times in a minute, and spnnged 
" every time by a new and wonderful contrivance, said to be 
" the invention of Dr. Desaguliers, with other astonishing 
" improvements of the like kind." ^ In 1765, a most formal 
examination of the cadets had taken place in presence of the 
Master-General and principal officers of the Ordnance, and 
many other important officials, including the President of 
the Royal Society, who expressed their satisfaction with the 
" noble institution," and distributed gold and silver medals 
to the most distinguished cadets. In a hundred years, one 
who had been himself a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, 
and for many years an honoured officer in the Royal Artillery, 
Sir Edward Sabine, would occupy the chair filled by one of 
the visitors on that day, and be one of the most popular 
Presidents of the Royal Society. 

The names of the following officers appear during this 
peaceful time, as in command of companies : — Captains Foy, 
Drummond, and Stehelin, at Minorca ; Torriano, Innes, and 
Butler, at Gibraltar; Jeffery, Phillips, Smith, Carter, and 
Howdell, at Woolwich. In America, we trace companies 
commanded at different times by Captains Martin, Williams, 
Farrington, Hay, Ferguson, Webdall, Lewis, Dover, Walton, 
Winter, Carlisle, and Gillespie. The stations on that con- 
tinent which were the head-quarters of the companies in- 
cluded New York, Pensacola, Quebec, Halifax, Pittsburg 
(Louisbourg), Montreal, and Placentia in Newfoundland. 
There were also detachments at Boston, Crown Point, Fort 
Ontario, and Niagara. 

An amusing narrative of the service of a bombardier and 
two matrosses who were permitted to accept employment 
from the Emperor of Morocco may prove an interesting con- 
clusion to this short chapter. It is based upon a manuscript 
in the Royal Artillery Library, framed by the bombardier 
himself, one John Turner by name, who had been called upon 
to make a report of his doings during his absence, and who 



Cleaveland's MSS. 



Chap. XXII. yohji Turners Narrative. 245 

certainly even on his own showing had a keen eye to the 
main chance. The ineffable conceit of the man, his firm im-< 
pression that Emperors and Princes only existed to give him 
his daily pay and rations, and his exalted notion of his 
position as a bombardier in the Boyal Artillery, can only be 
realized by a complete perusal of the manuscript. Bnt even 
if curtailed, the narrative cannot fail to amuse. 

John Turner was quartered at Gibraltar. He was a fair 
scholar, had a good opinion of himself, and was a bombardier. 
In the summer of 1769, the Emperor of Morocco sent a 
request to the Governor of Gibraltar for an Artilleryman to 
explain certain matters in gunnery, and to act as a tutor in 
the military art to the young Prince, his son. In 1872, it 
is probable that for such an appointment candidates would 
be innumerable, and would embrace even General Officers 
among their numbers. Possibly in Gibraltar, the Emperor 
was not very highly esteemed ; be that, however, as it may. 
Bombardier John Turner was selected. He was to receive 
thirty-five dollars per month, besides certain other advan- 
tages, and this fact was very present to his mind during his 
absence. At first, a circumstance which occurred vexed John 
Turner's soul sorely : the wind having detained him some 
days, the Governor was relieved by one who would not 
assume the responsibility of letting him go, without an order 
from England. Until November the honest man was kept 
fretting and pining, but in the end he was rewarded not 
merely by the permission to go himself, but by an order to 
take with him two matrosses, who greatly swelled his import- 
ance. On the 3rd of December, he and his comrades landed 
about six miles from Tetuan, whither they were conveyed 
on mules and lodged in a house where they were treated 
** beyond their expectation." It was but seldom that in this 
respect John Turner's expectations were exceeded. He had 
a letter to the Governor, which he insisted on presenting ; 
and with much presence of mind, on the morning after his 
arrival, he demanded an advance of money for himself and 
comrades. This was granted ; but, as he plaintively wrote, 
it was made the subject of much misrepresentation, and he 



246 Peace. chap. XXII. 



was reprimanded by his superiors in Gibraltar, on the story 
reaching them. The fact was, he innocently said, that he 
had borrowed some money on his note of hand in Gibraltar, 
" to clear some little obligations under which we lay," and 
the note met him at Tetnan, where he was led to believe he 
would be put in funds to pay it. On the 17th, the party 
left in great state " with an Alcayde and three horsemen for 
'' our guard, hired horses to ride on, and mules to carry our 
" baggage and camp equipage.'* They encamped every night 
near some village, and the inhabitants were compelled to 
bring them food, and find sentinels for their baggage, under 
pain of being taken as rebels to the Emperor, for which pur- 
pose chains were carried by the escort. The good bombardier 
describes in his report at some length the nature of the 
food, some of which he was pleased to consider very good 
eating. At last they reached the place where the young 
Prince was encamped, and from that moment John Turner 
became an old man of the sea to that unhappy youth, and 
when he had any complaint to make would go nowhere but 
to head-quarters. His early interviews with the Prince, and 
every word that passed between them are duly chronicled. 
He accompanied him to Mequinez, and immediately sought 
the Emperor's Secretary, to whom he had letters. The frwk 
manners of that official at first charmed John ; but he soon 
found him to be but " a master of the French address, joined 
'' to all the villainies of the Court of Morocco, and a Jew in 
" the very essence of the word." In a few days he had an 
interview with the Emperor himself, who in the course of 
conversation asked to see his instruments. It may interest 
the modem Artilleryman to know what a bombardier's instru- 
ments were in the year 1770. Those which John produced 
were his "quadrant, perpendicular, and Gunter's scales, 
" together with a case of mathematical instruments." 

The unfortunate bombardier never saw his instruments 
after he once let them into the young Prince's hands, and 
this called forth very severe strictures from him on princely 
nature. "Plundering," he writes, "is what these Princes 
" are taught from their infancy." 



Chap. XXII. yohti Turner s Narrative. 247 

The Emperor haying expressed a wish to see the three 
Artillerymen throw a shell, they complied. The mortar was 
of a different calibre from any they had ever seen, nor did 
they know anything about the range ; fortunately, however, 
they made a good guess, and the Emperor was much pleased 
with the practice. He ordered them a daily supply of pro- 
visions, " which order, however, was never complied with 
« but in part." 

From this moment John's domestic troubles were very 
great. While he had enough meat ho never abused it ; but 
when his allowance was cut short, he described it as '' carrion 
" meat.'* He was quartered in a Jew's house, and the Jew 
plundered him sorely, depriving him of the best part of his 
provisions. He said little, but thought a good deal ; and 
receiving no satisfaction from the Imperial Secretary, de- 
manded to see the Prince, who came to him immediately. 
" I acquainted him how- ill we were treated with regard to 
" provisions, and as our money was all gone begged of His 
"Koyal Highness to take some method that we might bo 
" better supplied. He asked whose fault it was. I answered, 
" * The Chief of the Jews.' He ordered our interpreter to go 
'* and tell him that if he did not find us everything, as his 
'* father had ordered, he would cut off his head, and burn his 
** body ; and desired, whenever we found him in the least 
" deficient, to call a guard of Moors, and bring the Chief of 
'* the Jews to him, and we should see him executed. He 
'* then dismissed us, and we went homo, and almost as soon 
" as we went there one of the Prince's black servants came 
''with the Chief of the Jews, and a halter about his neck, 
" and told us by the interpreter that he was ordered to bring 
'* him there, and give him fifty bastinados in our presence, 
" which he did, notwithstanding we offered to buy off the 
*' punishment with six ounces." 

The climax of John Turner's narrative is when he describes 
a day's shell practice with the Prince in presence of the 
Emperor, when the powder of the country, of whose strength 
John was ignorant, was used. The young Prince made good 
practice with it, but as he would not impart the secret of its 



248 Peace. Chap. XXIL 

strength, the ArtiUerymen made very indifferent ahooting. 
His Majesty remonstrated, making inyidions compariso&B, 
which roused John Turner into reminding the Emperor with 
due deference that he came there to instruct His Majesty's 
subjects in the 'English method of practice, not to be in- 
structed by the Prince— he being master of his business before 
he came there. 

Another day's practice followed : The Prince hit the mark 
with one of his shells, the bombardier did not. It was a 
painful circumstance ; but the conceit of John Turner did 
not fail him. He first blamed the powder, and then asserted 
that, notwithstanding his failure to hit the mark, his general 
practice was infinitely superior to that of his Boyal pupiL 
And he submitted a chart of the day's shooting in support of 
his statement. 

It is but fair to say that Bombardier Turner was most oon« 
scientious in performing -another duty which was enjoined 
upon him, the construction of a small laboratory. He writes 
with the greatest scorn of the native artificers, but he suc- 
ceeded in making them do what he wished. Just, however, 
as he had overcome the main difficulties, his peace of mind 
was disturbed by his two chronic wants, lack of money and 
scarcity of provisions. This time he resolved to write to the 
Emperor himself ; and endeavoured to get some one to trans- 
late his remonstrances into Arabic with that view. He failed, 
however, and had to content himself with the Prince, whose 
life, by means of his interpreter, he was able to make a 
burden to him. 

The reader of his report is not surprised to find that after 
a very short time his services were dispensed with, and he 
was directed to return to Gibraltar. A man who insists on 
afflicting royalty with the most trivial complaints becomes 
a very unwelcome inmate of a despotic Court. 

So John and his comrades started, grumbling to the last, 
and his conceit and self-importance manifesting themselves 
at every stage of the journey. Carefully mentioning that he 
was still allowed an Imperial escort, he points out another 
instance of shabby treatment to which he was exposed. It 






U 
it 



4€ 
€( 
it 



Chap. XXII. ^oAn Turners Narrative. 249 

shonld be mentioned that when the horses requisite for his 
oomfort were not forthcoming, the gallant bombardier always 
declined to move. On one evening he was informed that 
the requisite cattle would be ready next morning. "Our 
" things being ready by the time," he writes, " I went to see 
"the cattle that was prepared for us. I found only four 
" mules barely sufficient to carry our baggage. 1 enquired 
" where I and the two men were to ride, and was informed — 
" on the top of the baggage. I said that since I had been 
in the country I was never asked to travel in this manner ; 
neither did I think His Majesty would be pleased if he 
" knew how we were treated ; and, moreover, not any of my 
baggage should be moved until three saddle-horses should 
be brought for me and my companions. He said, as for 
« me, I might ride on one of his horses, but I absolutely 
refused, adding it was equally my duty to take care of 
those men as of myself, and until I saw cattle enough to 
carry us and our baggage, I would not stir from the place, 
" unless it was to return and acquaint the Emperor of our 
" usage." 

It is sufficient to say that on this, as on every similar 
occasion, the bombardier carried his point. 

The day arrived when they were to take ship from Tetuan to 
Gibraltar. To the very last his pecuniary difficulties haunted 
him. They were directed to attend at a notary's office to receive 
their pay. A sum far inferior to what he considered his due 
was offered him. "I informed them," he writes, " that that was 
" not near the sum that was due to us ; but was given to 
'' understand that if I did not accept that, I might possibly get 
" none ; and rather than run that hazard, as I knew them 
" capable of any meanness, I took what was offered, and gave 
" a receipt in part payment. We were likewise out of this 
" short payment obliged to pay our interpreter ; but this I 
" did with less reluctance, as I had been informed by Mr. 
" Rodway, Master- Wheeler, of Gibraltar, that whenever he 
" went to Mequinez by order of Government, he always paid 
" his interpreter himself, but that the money was always 
" returned to him at Gibraltar." The exquisite delicacy of 



250 Peace, Chap. XXH. 

the hint at repayment, embodied in an official report, cannot 
be surpassed. 

In days long after John Turner's career was finished, the 
spectacle has been witnessed of an invaded country straining 
every nerve, and practising every self-denial, to procnw 
the withdrawal from its occupied districts of the enemy*B 
troops. It is questionable, however, whether its eagerness 
was equal to that which must have been felt on all sides 
when that memorable event occurred which it has been 
attempted to describe, — the invasion of Morocco by a bom- 
bardier. 

In the year 1770, the Kegiment suffered from two evils: 
one, the chronic slowness of promotion which has always 
afflicted it ; the other, an inability to carry out the foreign 
reliefs with so small a number of companies at home. To 
meet these evils a remedy was devised, which shall be treated 
in the next chapter — the formation of another Battalion. 



( ^5^ ) 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Foubth Battalion. — The History and Present 
Designation of the Companies. 

T^HIS Battalion was formed on the 1st January, 1771, by 
-^ drafting six companies from the Battalions already in 
existence, which were thus reduced from ten to eight com- 
panies, and by the formation, in addition, of two new 
companies. At the same date, eight companies of invalids 
were formed from the men on out-pension, two of which were 
attached to each Battalion, but were not borne upon the 
effective strength. These eight companies were consolidated 
in 1779 in one invalid battalion, with a regular staff, and 
effective companies were raised for the other battalions, in 
their stead. 

On its first formation, the companies of the 4th Battalion 
were very weak, consisting each of 1 Captain, 1 Captain-Lieu- 
tenant, 2 First Lieutenants, 2 Second Lieutenants, 2 Ser- 
geants, 2 Corporals, 4 bombardiers, 8 gunners, 52 matrosses, 
and 2 drummers. The staff of the Battalion consisted of a 
Colonel-Commandant, a Lieutenant-Colonel, a Major, an Ad- 
jutant, a Quartermaster, and a Chaplain. Colonel Ord, the 
first Colonel-Commandant, had greatly distinguished himself 
in North America in 1759 and 1760; and it was a happy 
coincidence that he should receive the command of a battalion 
whose services in that country were destined to be so bril- 
liant. These services will receive more appropriate mention 
in the chapters connected with the American War of Inde- 
pendence, and with the gallant officer who commanded it 
during that war. General James Pattison. 

But two of the companies received special marks of dis- 
tinction which deserve to be mentioned. One, No. 1 Com- 
pany, now No. 4 Battery, 7th Brigade, was singled out 



(( 
(( 



252 Fourth Battalion. Chap. XXIII. 

after the battle of Yatix, in 1794, for its gallant conduct 
during the day, and the whole Army was formed up to see 
it march past the Duke on the field of battle. Another 
company, No. 10, received a special mark of distinction 
for its gallantry during the second American War, and 
more especially at the capture of Fort Niagara. By 
General Order of 7th October, 1816, it was permitted to 
wear on its appointments ''in addition to any badges or 
devices which may have been hitherto granted to the Boyal 
Begiment of Artillery " the word " Niagara.*' This com- 
pany subsequently fell a victim to change and reduction. 
It was reduced in January, 1819, after a service of forty 
years, having been one of the two companies formed in 1779 
to replace the invalid companies of the Battalion. It was 
reformed at Woolwich on the 16th August, 1848 ; and on 
the 3rd November in that year it became No. 6 Company 
of the 12th Battalion. In 1859, when the Brigade system 
was introduced, it became No. 9 Battery of the 6th Brigade ; 
on the 1st April, 1865, it was transferred to the 12th Brigade 
as No. 8 Battery ; and on the Ist February, 1871, by reduc- 
tion, it ceased to exist as such. It is a matter of regret 
that the pruning-knife should be applied to the companies 
which have a distinctive history. 

The 4th Battalion afforded a precedent — although not a 
happy one — for the Brigade system as applied to the Boyal 
Artillery. It was the only battalion which ever went on 
service with its head-quarter staff. Experience soon proved 
that it would have been better to leave that appendage — as 
was customary — at Woolwich. The Battalion letter-books 
teem with complaints as to clothing, recruiting, and pay, 
which might have been obviated by having at home the usual 
battalion officials, whose duties were connected with these 
details. With the companies detached over the American 
continent, and the head-quarters virtually imprisoned in 
New York, the confusion was endless, and the natural results 
excite a smile as the student reads of them. For the officials 
at the Board of Ordnance exercised the same paternal inter- 
ference over the distant staff, as if they had been in Wool- 



Chap. XXIII. Circumlocution. 253 

wich. The time occupied by correspondence across the 
Atlantic, rendered necessary by the stupidity and the curio- 
sity of the Ordnance officials, told heavily against the comfort 
of the companies, and the peace of mind of their Captains. 
The circumlocution between London and New York, New 
York and all the stations on the continent where detachments 
of the Battalion were stationed, and back again to the Tower, 
was at once ludicrous and irritating. And the trouble caused 
by the absence from England of those who would have in- 
terested themselves in procuring suitable and creditable 
recruits cannot be realized save by those who have waded 
through the letter-books of the period. The companies were 
fettered to a beleaguered liead-quarters, which in its turn 
was tied and bound to a distant department, nor was allowed 
the slightest independence of action. The result may 
easily be imagined. Questions which could have been 
decided in a few minutes, if those interested could have met, 
grew every day more complicated and unwieldy by the cor- 
respondence at long and uncertain intervals in which the 
Board of Ordnance revelled. 

The services of the companies will now be given, in the 
same manner as those of the other battalions. There are 
few lists more noble than that of the military operations in 
which No. 1 Company was engaged. The battery — No. 4 of 
the 7th Brigade — whose history this is, may well be proud 
of such noble antecedents. The revival of these may prove 
a means of awakening a pride in its ranks which wiU be the 
strongest aid to discipline, the most powerful incentive to 
progress. 

The succession of Captains of the various companies, as far 
as the somewhat mutilated records on this point will admit, 
will also be given, down to the time when the nomenclature 
of the companies was changed, since which date, so recent, 
no difficulty will be found in continuing the lists. 



^54 



Fourth Battalion. 



Chap. XXIII. 



No. 1 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Now "4" BATTERY, 7th BRIGADE. 



BattlM, Siegea And other Military operations in 
which the Oompany has been engagitl. 



1775 Battle of Bunker's Hill. 

1776 Siege of Boston. 

1776 Battle of Brooklyn, and capture 

of Horan's Hook. 
1776 Occupation of New York. 
1776 Battle of White Plains. 
1776 Capture of Fort Washington 

and Fort Lee. 

1776 Expedition against Charleston. 

1777 Operations in the Jerseys under 

Lord Comwallis. 

1777 Affair of Westfield: defeat of 
Americans. 

1777 Battle of Brandywine : ditto. 

1777 Occupation of Philadelphia. 

1777 Battle of Freehold Court : de- 
feat of Ameiicans. 

1777 Capture of Savannah, and de- 
feat of American General 
Howe — detachments only 
present. 

1779 Capture of Stoney Point on the 
Hudson. 

1779 General Matthews' successful 

raid in Virginia. 

1780 Capture of Charlestown, and 

operations in North Carolina, 

1781 Detachments were present at 

Yorktown when Lord Corn- 
wallis capitulated. 

1793 Expedition to the Netherlands 
under H. R. H. the Duke of 
York : present at Siege and 
Capture of Valenciennes. 

1793 Affair of Lincelles. 

1793 Siege of Dunkirk. 

1793 Affairs of Lannoy and Mar- 
chiennes. 



List of Captains who have soooeialTely eom- 
mandcd the GomDany, as Cur as can be 
traced, down to mtroduciioD <tf Brigade 
^stem. in 1859. 



1786 Cai»tain W. 0. Huddlcstone. 



1790 


» 


Thomas Trotter. 


1795 


» 


John Burton. 


1804 


»» 


James Hawker. 


1812 




Stewart Maxwell. 


1824 


Captain 


I William Butts. 


1824 


>» 


lliomas Cuhitt 


1832 


» 


Frederick Arabin. 


1837 


» 


K. S. Armstrong. 


1846 


>» 


Hugh Manley Tui te. 


1854 


Plat. 


Charles Taylor Du 



1856 Captain M. B. Forde. 



Chap, XXIII. " 4 " Battery, 'jth Brigade. 



^55 



iC 



4 " BaUery^ l(h Brigade continued — 



BftlUM^ Slegea, and other Military operatloDs in 
whidi the Gompuiy ham been engjged. 



1794 



1794 
1794 
1794 



1794 



1799 



1807 
1811 
1813 
1813 
1814 

1814 
1814 
1814 

1839 



Severe engagement at Vaux. 
(The Company thanked in 
General Orders, and marched 
past the Dnke on the field of 
battle.) 

Affairs of Cateau and Lnndrecy. 

Retreat from Lannoy, &c. 

Engagement of 22nd May. 
This Company was specially 
thanked by H.R.H. the Duke 
of York. 

Retreat to Bremen. This Com- 
pany was continually en- 
gaged, and suffered great loss. 

A small detachment of the Com- 
pany accompanied the Expe- 
dition to the Netherlands. 

Siege of Buenos Ayres. 

Battle of Albuera. 

Battle of Vittoria. 

Battle of the Pyrenees. 

Passage of the Gave de Menton, 
near Villa Franca. 

Battle of Orthes. 

Battle of Toulouse. 

Various affairs with the Ameri- 
cans in Canada during 1814. 

Disturbances in Canada. This 
Company performed the Win- 
ter March to Quebec. 



List of Captalnt who have sacsoewiTely oom- 
manded the Company, as jBu* as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



256 



Four/A Batialion. 



No. 2 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 
Now "6" BATTERY, 8rd BBIGADE. 



BiUlo. Rkgfu. ud Dtho' HiliUir optnUou li 



} Battle of Banker's Hill. 

S Siege of rioMiou. 

J Batik of Brooklyn, and capture 

of Horali'a Hook. 
5 Occujiatipn of New York. 
5 BaltiecfWliitePUius. Specially 

thanked in General Orders. 
i Capture of Forta Washington 

! Expodilion against Charleaton. 
7 Operations in lln^ .Ii-ra'y.i under 

Lord ComwalUs. 
1 Affair of Westfitild: defeat of 



1777 
1777 
1777 



1778 
1778 
1779 



1779 
1780 
1781 



Ritiluof nran.ljwine: ditto. 
Occupation of Philadelphia. 
Affair of Gcnonniott n : defeat 

of Americans. 
Evacuatiott of Philadelphia. 
Battle of PrecholJ Court ; de- 
feat of ATiiericana. 
Affairs in Ndrth <;aroliniL 
Capture of Savoonah. 
Capture of Stoney Point on the 

HudMu: Detachment only 

present 
General Matthews' successful 

raid in Virginia. 
Capturo of Charlostown, and 

operations m Nr.>rtlj Oirnlina. 
DetachmeulA were present at 

Yorktown when Lord Cotd- 

walliu capitulatul. 
Second American War: present 

at the aifaira of Backett'a 

Harbour Goose Creek, and 

ObiyHtler's Farm. 
Expedition to PlatUburg mider 

Sir Ocor^ PreroeL 






, 


, ^ 




1791 


, William Collier. 


1795 


„ J. A. Schalch. 


1801 


„ Charles Oodlier. 


1805 


, William Hall. 


1806 


, P. Dumford. 


1806 


, Charles C. Bingham. 


1812 


, P. M. WsllKie. 


1828 C«i 


lain J. A. Chalmen. 


1835 


, A. JlocDonald. 


1840 


, Thomas 0. Cater. 


1840 


, George Jamw. 


1848 


, Thomoa Elwyn. 


1850 


, A. J. Taylor. 


1852 


, A. H. Graham. 


1857 


, W. W. Barrj-. 



Chap. XXIII. "8" Batteries ^ ist and ^net Brigades. 257 



No. 3 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Now " 8 " BATTERY, 2nd BEIGADE. 



lUttlefl, SiefTfi. iind other MiUtoiy nperatifnn in 
whlcfa the Company has been engaged. 


Libt of Gaptaiiu 
mandt-d the < 
trMord, down 
Rj8 em. in 18, 


who have suoorarively com- 
}(>mjpany. an far a« can be 
to lutrudncUon of Brigade 
59. 


1775 Defence of Qnel)ec iipainst 


* * 


Americans under General 


1786 


Captain F. M. Keith. 


Arnold. 


1790 


»» 


J. H. Yorke. 


1777 Battle of Brandy wine. 


1796 


»« 


George Koehler. 


1777 Occupation of Philddtli)hia. 


1797 


rt 


W. Wilson. 


1777 Defeat of Americans at Ger- 


ieo2 


» 


Edward Hojir. 


man town. 


1803 


»» 


W. Scott. 


1778 Ditto at Battle of Freehold 


1812 


» 


W. 11. Caroy. 


Court, after Evacuation of 


1815 


» 


E. C. Willord. 


Philadelphia. 


1817 


w 


James Addams. 


1778 Detachments present at Capture 


1825 


w 


E. T. Michell. 


of Savannah. 


1835 


If 


Thomas Dyneley. 


1779 Detachments present at Ca])ture 


1837 


» 


W. Elgee. 


of Stoney Point on the Hud- 


1846 


n 


Henry 8. Ti reman. 


sou. 


1847 


w 


S. P. Townsend. 


1780 Capture of Charlestown, and 


1849 


» 


St. John T. Browne. 


operations in North Caroliiia. 




* 


* * 


1795 Cape of Good Hope: Expedition 








under Crenei-al Craig. 








1801 Siege axvd Capture of Alexan- 


■ 






dria, and expulsion of French 








from Egypt (detachments 








only). 








1807 Expe<lition against Madeira. 









No. 4 COMPANY, 4th BAITALION, 

Afterwards " 8 " BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE. 

Pfducfd Ut ApriU 1869. 



1775 Battle of Bunker's Hill. 

1776 Siege of Boston. 

1776 Battle of Brooklyn, and Capture . 
of Horan*8 Hook. 

1776 Occupation of New York. 

1776 Battle of White Plains. Spe- 
cially thanked in General 
Orders. 

VOL. I. 



1786 Captain W. Houghton. 
1790 „ F. Laye. 
1797 „ B. Young. 

1804 „ Hon. W. H. Gard- 
ner. 

1805 Captain F. Smith. 

* * • 



s 



258 



Fourth Battaliim, 



Chap. XXIll. 



** 8 " Battery^ Ist Brigade continued — 



Battleft, SiefRA. and other Military operations in 
which the Company has heen engaged. 



1776 Capture of Forts Washington 
and Lee. 

1776 Expedition against Charles- 

town. 

1777 Operations in the Jerseys under 

liord Comwallis. 
1777 Affairs of Peek's Hill and West- 
field. 

1777 Battle of Brandywine, and oc- 

cupation of Philadelphia. 

1778 Evacuation of Philadelphia by 

British, and defeat of Ameri- 
cans at Germantown. 
1778 Battle of Freehold Court. 

1778 Detachments present at Capture 

of Savannah. 

1779 Detachments present at Capture 

of Stoney Point on the Hud- 
son. 

1779 Ditto daring General Matthews' 

raid in Virginia. 

1780 Capture of Charlestown, and 

operations in North Carolina. 

1793 Expedition to Flanders under 
H.R.H. the Duke of York : 
present at every engagement 
during the Campaign, and 
specially mentioned in Gene- 
ral Orders. 

1808 Present with the Army in Por- 
tugal until the Battle of 
Corunna, when it returned 
to Gibraltar. 

1839 Canadian Rebellion. 

1856 Expedition to Crimea, but ar- 
rived a few days after the 
fall of Sebasto^x)!. 



Li^t of Captains who have sooonalvely com- 
manded the Company, aa far aa can be 
traced, down to introdnction of Brigade 
Syatem. in 18S9. 



1823 


Captain 


L Thomas Cubitt. 


1826 


♦> 


William Butts. 


1829 


♦> 


John Dowse. 




• 


* * 


1841 


Captain 


1 R. L. Cornelius. 


1844 


»» 


W. Y. Fenwick. 


1844 


»» 


Henry Poole. 


1848 


<» 


William Eraser. 


1850 


♦» 


A. G. Burrows. 


1855 


1* 


J. F. E. Travrrs. 



Chap. XXIII. "^9 " Battery, i)th Brigade. 



No. 5 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Now "B" BATTERY, 9th BRIGADE. 



*59 



Battles, SlegM, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1775 Battle of Bunker's Hill. 

1776 Defence of Boston. 
1776 Battle of Brooklyn. 
1776 Capture of Koran's Hook. 
1776 Occupation of New York. 
1776 Battle of White Plains. 

(Thanked in Orders.) 

1776 Capture of Fort Washington 

and Fort Lee. 

1777 Operations in the Jerseys under 

Lord Comwallis, and action 
near Westfield. 
1779 Capture of Stoney Point on the 
Hudson. 

1779 General Matthews' raid in Vir- 

ginia. 

1780 Expedition to South Carolina. 
1794 War in Flanders, including 

actions at Alost and Malines, 
and defence of Nimeguen, 
1796 Capture of St. Lucia, St. Vin- 
cent's, and Grenada. 

1803 Capture of St. Lucia and To- 

bago. 

1804 Capture of Demerara. 

N.B. — A detachment of thi« Company 
embarked on board Lord Nelson's fleet 
from Barbudoes to assist in working; the 
guns. 

1800-1810 Capture of Martinique and 

Guadalour>e. 
1815 Occupation of Paris. 
1842 to 1848 Engaged at Ca^.e of 

Good Hope in the operations 

against the insurgent Boers 

and Kaffirs. 
1855 Sicgo of Sebastoi»ol. 



List of Captains who have sucoetsively com- 
manded the Company, as fiur as ran be 
traoeH, down to introduction of Brigade 
8y8Um« in 1859. 





* * • 


178G 


Captain Charles Wood. 


1787 


„ George Abson. 


1792 


„ Ash ton Shuttle 




worth. 


1795 


Captain Robert Hope. 


1802 


„ W. Wilson. 


1804 


„ W. Payne. 


1805 


„ W. Millar. 


1805 


„ Charles Younghus- 




band. 




* * * 


1823 


Captain G. C. Coffin. 




♦ ♦ ♦ 


1836 


Captain E. Sheppard. 


1837 


„ J. M. Stephens. 


1840 


„ G. G. Palmer. 


1841 


„ Henry Pallisser. 


1848 


„ W. H. Elliot. 


1855 


„ G. H. L. Milman. 






26o 



Fourth Battalion. 



Chap. XXI II. 



No. 6 (COMPANY, 4tb BATTALION, 

Now " 1 " BATTEET, 6th BEIGADE. 



Battlet, Slcget, and other MIUU17 operations Ui 
which the Oompany has heen enga|[ed. 



1775 Crown Pointy Ticonderoga, 
Ghambly, and St. John. 
(The whole Company, with 
the exception of 9 men, was 
taken prisoner at this time, 
and remained so until April, 
1777.) 

1779 Capture of Stoney Point, on the 
Hudson. 

1779 Raid in Virginia under (General 

Matthews. 

1780 Battle of Camden. 

1780 Operations under Lord Com- 

wallis. 

1781 Battle of Cowpens. 

1781 Battle of Guildford Court- 
house. 
1781 Surrender of Yorktown. 
1798 Expedition to Minorca. 

1808 Operations in Portugal and 

Battle of Vimiera. 

1809 Battle of Corunna. 
1813 Battle of Yittoria. 
1813 Battle of Pyrenees. 

1813 Siege and capture of St. Sebas- 

tian.* 

1814 Battle of Toulouse. 

1815 Occupation of Paris. 

* At the capture of St. Sebastian^ ten 
men of this Company volnnteei-ed for Ihe 
storming party, and were instramental 
in deciding the fate of the attack by the 
gallant style in which they turned two 
of the enemy's guns upon the garrison, 
driving the defenders from the works. 



List of Captains who have suoceesiTely oom- 
manded the OcHnpany, as far as can be 
traced, down to introductioii of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



1783 Captain 

1793 

1794 

1797 

1804 

1811 



»» 



»> 



B. Lawson. 
J. Wilson. 
J. Bradbridge. 
H. Framingham. 
George Skyring. 
W. Morrison. 



1826 Captain P. Faddy. 
* * * 



1839 Captain 

1845 

1852 






R Kendall. 
George Markland. 
If. P. Goodenough. 



Chap. XXI 1 1. " 6 " Battery.— "^ E " Battery. 



261 



No. 7 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Now " 6 " BATTERY, 10th BEIGADE. 





List of Captains who have suooessively com- 


Battlei, Sieges, and other Military operations in 


manded 


the OompanT, as fkr as can be 




traced, down 


to miroducUon of Biigade 




SyBteoi, 


InlSM. 


1778 Capture of Sunbury in Georgia. 




# 


la # 

4 


1778 Affair of Brier Creek. 


1786 Captain Thomas Hare. 


1779 Repulse of Americans at Stono 


1790 


)i 


T. Seward. 


Ferry. 


1796 


» 


C. W. Thornton. 


1781 Defence of Pensacola. 


1797 


>9 


E. Trelawney. 


1812 Canada during second American 


1799 


»9 


G. Wulff. 


War. 


1804 


n 


W. Caddy, 


1855 Siege of Sebastopol. (The cap- 


1817 


)» 


C. Bridge. 


tain of the Company, Captain 


1817 


» 


A. Bredin. 


Fitzroy, was killed in the 


1820 


)i 


George Turner. 


trenches.) 


1826 


II 


W. Greene. 




1830 


19 


F. R. (jhesney. 


N.B. — A detftchmeat of this Company 


1842 


If 


D. Thomdike. 


accompanied their Captain, F. R. Ches- 


1850 


II 


John Henry Lefroy. 


ney, in his scientific researches along the 


1854 


»l 


A. C. Hawkins. 


Euphrates and Persian Gulf. 


1855 


II 


S. Robinson. 




1855 


II 


A. C. L. Fitzroy. 



No. 8 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Now "E" BATTEET, Ist BEIGADE. 

1775 Battle of Bunker's Hill. 

1776 Defence of Boston. 
1776 Battle of Brooklyn. 
1776 Capture of Horan's Hook, 
1776 Occupation of New York. 
1776 Battle of White Plains. 

(Thanked in Orders.) 

1776 Capture of Fort Washington 

and Fort Lee. 

1777 Operations in the Jerseys under 

Lord Comwallis, and affair of 
Peek's Hill. 

1777 Action near Westfield. 

1777 Battle of Brandywine, and oc- 
cupation of Philadelphia. 



1786 Captain Patrick Ross. 


1791 




S. Rimington. 


1799 




James Hook. 


1802 


1) 


E. V. Worsley. 


1809 




J. T. Robison. 


1811 




R. F. Cleaveland. 


1819 




C. F. Sandham. 


1822 




N. W. Oliver. 


1826 




P. Walker. 


1827 




C. Cruttenden. 


1833 




W. B. Dundas. 


1837 




A. 0. W. Schalch. 


1837 




R. B. Rawnsley. 


1842 




G. Dumford. 



262 



Fourth Battalion. 



Chap. XXUl. 



** j&" Baftery, Ist Brigade continued — 



BattleK, Si«g(«, and oUior Military operations In 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1778 Evacuation of Philadelphia, and 
Battle of Freehold ('ourt. 

1778 Detachment present at Capture 

of Savannah. 

1779 Capture of Stoney Point on the 

Hudson. 

1779 General Matthews' raid in Vir- 

ginia. 

1780 Capture of Charlestown, and 

operations in North Carolina. 

1781 Detachments present at Sur- 

render of York town. 
1803 War in Ceylon, ending in total 

defeat of the native king of 

Kandy. 
1811 Expedition against Java, and 

capture of the Island. 
1854 Siege of Scbastopol. (The 

Captain of the Company, 

A. Oldfield, was killeil in tlic 

trenches.) 



list of (^^ptainb who have anooeislvdy com- 
inanded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1844 Captain J. H. St John. 



1844 „ 
1854-55 „ 
1866 



>» 



G. H. Hyde. 
A. Oldfield. 
W. T. Barnett. 



No. 9 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 
(Afterwards 4th Company^ Wth Battalion,) 

Now " H " BATTEEY, 4th BEIGADE. 



1812 Second Auieric^in War. p]u- 
gaged on board the gunboats 
on the Canadian lakes, and 
on various outpost duties, 
receiving special mention in 
Orders. 

1815 Formed part of the Duke of 
Wellington's Army, but took 
no active part, proceeding no 
further than Valcnciennr>S). 



1783 Captain James Winter. 
1790 „ T. Braily. 
1793 „ U. Hamilton. 
1800 „ R. Wright. 
1800 „ W. Robe. 
1800 „ T. J. Forbes. 
1808 „ J. S. Sinckir. 

Rwluced in 1819. 

licformcd in 1848. 



Chap. XXIII. " 5 " Battery^ i%th Brigade. 



263 



** jy Battery, 4tth Brigade continued — 



Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has heea engaged. 



Reduced in 1819 and reformed in 1848, 
when it was transferred to the 11th 
Battalion as No. 4 Company. It served 
during the Cnmean War, and was present 
at the 

Battle of Alma. 

Battle of Inkerman. 
and was constantly employed in carrying 
ammunition into the trenches. 



List of Captains who have snooessively com- 
manded the Company, as &r as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
Sjrstem, in 1869. 



1848 Captain W. S. Payne. 

1848 „ T. B. F. Marriott. 
(Transferred to 11th Bat- 
talion.) 

1849 Captain W. R. Nedham. 
1854 „ J. Turner. 
1866 .. H. A. Smyth. 



II 



No. 10 COMPANY, 4th BATTALION, 

Afterwards " 8 " BATTEEY, 12th BEIGADE, 
Now " 5 " BATTEEY, 12th BEIGADE. 



1812-13 Second American War. En- 
gaged in nearly every opera- 
tion on the American frontier, 
repeatedly mentioned in Or- 
ders, and by General Order 
was permitted to wear the 
designation " Niagara.** 

1815-16 Present with the Duke of 
Wellington's Army, but took 
no actiye part, remaining in 
garrison at Toumay. 

1865 Crimea. 

N.B.— No. 8 Battery, 12th Brigade, R. A., 
was nominally reduced on Ist Feb., 1871 : 
but as No. 5 Battery of that Brigade 
was really reduced, and the officers, non- 
commissioned officers, and men, of No. 8 
Batt«ry were transferred to No. 5, it 
seems just to perpetuate No. 8 Battery. 
The arms, books, &c., of No. 8 were also 
transferred to No. 5. 



1783 
1787 
1794 
1794 
1800 
1806 
1808 
1816 



1848 



»f 



i» 



»i 



II 



II 



II 



II 



1854 
1858 
1859 



Captain W. Godwin. 
B. Marlow. 
William Borthwick. 
George Glasgow. 
R. Dickinson. 
E. Curry. 
William Holcroft. 
Joseph Brome. 
Reduced in 1819. 
Reformed in 1848. 
Captain H. S. Rowan. 
Became 6th Company 12th 
Battalion in November, 
1848. 
Captain Hamley. 

Macdougal. 
Booth by. 



II 



( 264 ) 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Journal of a Few Years. 

T70B a few years after the formation of the Fourth Bat- 
^ talion, the History of the Begiment contains little that 
possesses more than domestic interest. It was the stillness 
which precedes a storm. 

In 1775, the Titanic contest commenced, in which England 
found herself pitted against France, Spain, and her own 
children. 

From that year, until 1783, the student of her military 
history finds his labour incessant. America and Europe 
alike claim his attention ; the War of Independence, and the 
Sieges of Gibraltar and Port Mahon, furnish a wealth of 
material for his examination. 

But before entering on these, the ground must be cleared 
and the regimental gossip between 1771 and 1775 must be 
chronicled. 

During that time, the relief of the battalion serving in 
America — by the 4th — took place, and on the latter fell all 
Artillery duties performed at the commencement of hos- 
tilities in that country. As the war developed, the 4th 
. Battalion was reinforced by four companies of the 3rd, whose 
men — ^and also the Lieutenant-Fireworkers — were gradually 
absorbed into the 4th Battalion. At the same time, four 
companies of the 1st and 3rd Battalions, under the gallant 
Phillips, were ordered to America, and formed part of the 
force commanded by the ill-fated Burgoyne. During this 
decade, between 1770 and 1779, five companies of the 2nd 
Battalion relieved those at Gibraltar, and were the only 
Artillery present at that memorable siege, which sheds a 
lustre over this unhappy period in the national history. 

Woolwich saw a good many changes at this time. The 
barracks in the Warren were inadequate to meet the wants 



Chap. XXIV. Modifications in Dress. 265 

of the Begiment, now that it had received so many augmen- 
tations. Some ground on the Common was, therefore, pur- 
chased by the Board, and the foundation laid of barracks, 
large enough to accommodate a battalion of eight companies. . 
The building was completed, and the barracks inhabited, 
early in 1776. 

Modifications in the dress of the Begiment took place; and 
the evil results of the liberty granted to the Colonels of 
Battalions with regard to their men's clothing manifested 
themselves to such a degree, that in March, 1772, an order 
was issued, forbidding any alteration in the clothing of the 
men, or uniform of the officers, without the previous know- 
ledge and approbation of the Master-General. 

From various Battalion Orders issued at this time, we 
learn that the officers had now to provide themselves with 
plain frocks, and plain hats with a gold band, button, and 
loop; and that the accoutrements of the men, which had 
hitherto been buff, were now changed, — ^becoming what they 
are at present — white. The dress for a parade under arms 
was as follows : — The men, in white breeches, white stock- 
ings, black half-spatterdashes, and their hair clubbed : — the 
officers, in plain frocks, half-spatterdashes, and queues, with 
white cotton or thread stockings under their spatterdashes, 
and gold button and loop on their plain hats. When the 
officers were on duty, they were ordered to wear their hair 
clubbed, and their hats cocked in the same manner as those 
of the men. The hats of the men were worn with the front 
loops just over the nose. Black stocks were utterly for- 
bidden, white only being permitted to be worn, either by 
officers or men. 

On the 22nd June, 1772, a Eoyal Warrant was issued, 
deciding that Captain-Lieutenants in the Artillery and 
Engineers should rank as Captains in the Army. Those 
who were then serving, were to have their commissions as 
Captain, dated 26th May, 1772; and those who might be 
subsequently commissioned, from the date of their appoint- 
ment. The title of Captain-Lieutenant was abolished, and 
that of Second Captain substituted, in 1804. 



266 The Journal of a Few Years. Chap. xxiv. 



In 1772 and 1775, the regiment was reviewed by the 
King — on both occasions at Blackheath. The inspections 
were very satisfactory ; in 1772, " The corps went through 
"their different evolutions with great exactness, though 
'* greatly incommoded by the weather, and obstructed by the 
"prodigious concourse of people, which was greater than 
** ever was known on any like occasion." In addition to 
these reviews, the King visited Woolwich in state in 1773, 
for the purpose of inspecting the new foundry and boring- 
room. In the latter, he saw a 42-pounder bored with a new 
and wonderful horizontal boring-machine. He saw many 
curious inventions; among others, a light field-piece, invented 
by Colonel Pattison, "which, on emergencies, might be 
" carried on men's shoulders," and which was tried, " to the 
"great amazement of His Majesty." He also went to 
the Academy, where he breakfasted ; and then inspected the 
companies which happened to be in Woolwich, with whose 
manoeuvres he expressed the utmost satisfaction. The 
review was marred by an accident which occurred. " Colonel 
" Broome, in parading in front of the Kegiment, before His 
"Majesty, on a very beautiful and well-broke horse, but 

very tender-mouthed, checked him, which made the horse 

rise upon his hind-legs, and fall backwards upon his rider, 
" who is so greatly bruised, that his life is despaired of." * 

In 1772, the officers, whose extra pay on promotion had 
been taken to make up the half-pay of Captain-Lieutenant 
llogers, complained of the injustice, and their remonstrances 
were attended to. A warrant was issued on the 4th August, 
1772, directing a vacancy of one Second Lieutenant to be 
kept open in one of the invalid companies, the pay to 
be employed towards Captain Eogers's half-pay. 

It is impossible to stigmatize too harshly the system of 
non-effectives, borne for various purposes on the strength 
of the Eegiment, in which the Board of Ordnance delighted. 
It was at once deceitful and unbusiness-like. K the pur- 
poses were legitimate, they should have formed the subject 



(( 
(( 



Ct.loDd CU-avdand's MSS. 



Chap. XXIV. Dummies on the Muster-rolls. 267 

of a separate vote. At the risk of wearying the reader, a 
recapitulation will be given of the non-eflfectives in the 
Regiment at this time, and the purposes for which they 
were borne upon the establishment. There were thirty-two 
marching companies in the Segiment, and eight of invalids. 
On the muster-roll of each company, a dummy — so to speak 
— was borne, whose pay went to the Widows' Fund; 
another per company, for what was called the Non-eflfective 
Fund, and a third, whose pay went to remunerate the fifer. 
In addition to this, ten dummies were borne, whose pay went 
to swell General Belford's income, in the form of command 
pay ; and nine were utilized for the band. 

In short, out of 1088 matrosses, shown as the establish- 
ment of the marching companies, no less than 115 had no 
existence ; and in the invalid companies, a Second Lieutenant 
and 16 matrosses were equally shadowy. If we examine the 
purposes for which the fund called the non-ejQTective fund 
existed, shall we find them to be irregular, or such as could 
not be made public ? Not at all ; the charges on this fund 
were legitimate, and a separate vote might and should have 
been taken, particularizing them. They were to meet the 
expenses connected with recruits, deserters, and discharged 
invalids, as well as certain contingent charges, connected 
with the command of companies. Why then the mystery, 
and deceit practised upon the public ? If the senior officer 
of Artillery was deserving of higher pay on account of his 
services or responsibility, why not openly say so, instead 
of showing to the country, as part of the Artillery establish- 
ment, ten men who had no existence? The wickedness 
and folly of such a means of keeping accounts could only 
have emanated from such a Department as the Board of 
Ordnance. 

Mention has been made of recruiting expenses. Certain 
regulations which were in force at this time may be interest- 
ing to the reader. Levy money was not allowed to the 
recruiting officer in cases where the recruits were not ap- 
proved by the commanding officer, but their subsistence 
after enlistment until rejection, was admitted. If a recruit 



268 The y onrnal of a Few Years. Chap. xxiv. 

deserted before joining, no charge whatever was admitted 
against the fund. But if he died between enlistment and 
the time when he should have joined, all expenses connected 
with him were admitted on production of the necessary 
vouchers and certificates. When the non-effective fund was 
balanced, which was done annually on the 30th June, 57. 
was credited to the accounts of the coming year, for each 
man wanting to complete the establishment, in order to 
meet the expenses of the recruits who would be enlisted to 
fill the vacancies. 

A word, now, about the invalids. They were for service 
in the garrisons; at first, merely in Great Britain, but 
ultimately also abroad, for in 1775, when the war in Massa- 
chusetts was assuming considerable proportions, the company 
of the 4th Biattalion, which was quartered in Newfoundland, 
was ordered to Boston ; and the two companies of invalids, 
shown as belonging to that battalion, and then quartered at 
Portsmouth, were ordered to Newfoundland for duty. Men 
over twenty years* service were drafted from the marching 
to the invalid companies, instead of being discharged with a 
pension ; and the companies were officered from the regiment, 
appointments in the various ranks being given to the senior 
applicants. 

In 1779, two additional invalid companies were added, and 
the ten were consolidated into one battalion, effective com- 
panies being given to the other battalions in their room. 

The staff of the Invalid Battalion consisted of a Lieutenant- 
Colonel Commandant, a Major, and an Adjutant; and the 
establishment of each company was as follows : — a Captain, 
a First and Second Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 
1 Drummer, 3 Bombardiers, 6 Gunners, and 36 Matrosses. 
Although this battalion was fifth in order of formation, and 
was frequently called the Fifth Battalion, — the real Fifth 
Battalion, the services of which are sketched in the end of 
this volume, was not formed until much nearer the close of 
the eighteenth century. 

In 1772, a Military Society was founded at Woolwich for 
the discussion of professional questions. It was originated 



(( 
(( 



\ 



Chap. XXIV. Formation of a Society. 269 

by two o£Scers at Gibraltar — Jardine and Williams — extracts 
from whose letters to one another, when the idea occurred to 
them, are quaintly amusing. Lieutenant Jardine writes : — 
I have been thinking that there must be a good deal of 
knowledge scattered about in this numerous corps. Could 
it not be collected, concentrated, and turned to some 
ejQTect? We haye already in this country all kinds of 
" Societies, except Military ones. I think a voluntary asso- 
'' ciation might be formed among us (admitting, perhaps, 
" Engineers and others) on liberal principles, viz., for their 
" own improvement and amusement, where military, mathe- 
'^ matical, and philosophical knowledge, being the chief object 
'' of their enquiries, essays, &c., might thus be improved and 
" propagated. They might thus communicate and increase 
" their own ideas, preserve themselves from vulgar errors, 
" and keeping one another in countenance, bear up against 
the contempt of pert and presumptive ignorance. If it 
increased in numbers, and grew into consequence, they 
might in time bring study and real knowledge into fashion, 
'' and, retorting a juster contempt, keep mediocrity, and 
" false or no merit, down to their proper sphere." 

His correspondent, who was then on board a transport, 
and wrote under difficulties, eagerly entered into the scheme, 
but for reasons stated could not go into details. " I have 
" many things," he writes, " in my head, but our band (con- 
<< sisting of geese screaming, ducks quacking, hogs grunting, 
'' dogs growling, puppies barking, brats squalling, and all 
" hands bawling) are now performing a full piece, so that 
" whatever my pericranium labours with, it must lie con- 
" cealed until I arrive at Betirement's Lying-in Hospital, in 
" Solitude Bow, where I shall hope for a happy delivery." 

The friends reached Woolwich that year ; and in October 
the society was formed. There happened to be many among 
the senior officers who sympathized with the promoters, 
notably Generals Williamson and Desaguliers, and Colonels 
Pattison and Phillips. The meetings took place at 6 p.m. on 
every Saturday preceding the full moon ; and were secret, 
in order that an inventor might communicate his discoveries 






270 The Joiirnal of a Fciu Years. Chap. XXIV. 

without fear of their appropriation. With the anthor's con- 
sent, however, papers might be published. The carrying-on 
of experiments was one of tlie main purposes which animated 
the society. At the present day, when the idea which 
animated the promoters of the old society has blossomed into 
a Literary and Scientific Institution, unparalleled in any 
corps in any land, which not merely encourages and de- 
velopes the intelligence and literary talent of its members, 
but aids, in the highest degree, to lift the corps out of 
mediocrity into science, — these old facts connected with the 
infant society have a peculiar interest. The year 1872 may 
look back to 1772 with filial regard. 

On the 8th July, 1773, the 4th Battalion arrived in New 
York — with the exception of one company, which went to 
Newfoundland. 

Within a very brief period, the political atmosphere in 
that country became hopelessly overcast, and with the out- 
break of the storm at Boston, in 1775, commences at once 
the active history of the American War, and of the Boyal 
Artillery during that war, which is to be treated by itself. 
But parallel with that long and disastrous campaign, and 
occupying a period extending from 1779 to 1783, was the 
great siege of Gibraltar. To prevent an interruption in the 
thread of the American narrative, it is proposed to anticipate 
matters, and passing over the years 1775 to 1778, when the 
eye of the student can see nothing but America, proceed at 
once to the consideration of the siege, and then return toan 
uninterrupted consideration of the Artillery share in tlie 
American War from 1775 to the Peace of 1783. 



( ^7' ) 



CHAPTER XXY. 

The Great Siege op Gibraltar. 

" Neither, while the war lasts, will Gibraltar surrender. Not tliongh 
** Crillon, Nassau, Siegen, with the ablest projectors extant, are there ; 
" and Prince Condd and Prince d'Artois have hastened to help. Wondrous 
** leather-roofed floating-batteries, set afloat by French-Simnish Facte de 
**/amiUe, give gallant summons; to which, nevertheless, Gibraltar answers 
** Plutonically, with mere torrents of red-hot iron, — as if stone Calpe had 
** become a throat of the Pit ; and utters such a DoomVblast of a No, as 
" all men must credit." — Carltle. 

rPHE year 1779 saw England engaged in war on both 
^ sides of the Atlantic, with bitter and jealous enemies. 
Her struggle with the revolted colonies offered a tempting 
opportunity to France to wipe out her losses during the 
Seven Years' War, — and to Spain, to wipe out the disgrace 
which she felt in the possession of Gibraltar by the English. 
France, accordingly, espoused the cause of the Americans ; 
and Spain, under pretence of the rejection of an offer of 
mediation between England and France, proposed in terms 
which could not be accepted, immediately declared a war, 
which had been decided upon from the day of the disaster at 
Saratoga, and for which preparations had been progressing 
for some time without any pretence of concealment. 

The Eoyal Artillery in this year tjonsisted of thirty-two 
service companies, and eight invalid. The augmentation 
referred to in the last chapter did not take place until the 
end of the year. Of this number, one-half — sixteen com- 
panies — was in America ; one company in Newfoundland ; 
three in the West Indies ; three in Minorca ; and five in 
Gibraltar : — a total abroad of twenty-eight service companies 
out of thirty-two. Nor was it a foreign service, so weary and 
uneventful as it sometimes is now : it was a time when Eng- 
land was fighting almost for existence, and every company 
had to share the dangers. Should such a rising against 



272 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 



England ever occur again, the Regiment could not select as 
its model for imitation anything nobler than the five com- 
panies which were in Gibraltar during the great siege. 

They were the five senior companies of the 2nd Battalion, 
and they still exist, under the altered nomenclature, as, — 

No. 7 Battery, 2l8t Brigade { ^*^f ^*^yi,^ *^« 
2 „ 12th „ 



7 „ 10th 
D „ Ist 

-8 „ 3rd 






At the commencement of the siege, Colonel Godwin was 
in command of the Artillery ; but he returned to England 
in the following year, on promotion to the command of the 
Battalion, and died in about six years. He was succeeded 
by Colonel Tovey, the same officer who had been present 
with his company at Belleisle ; and who, having had prac- 
tical experience of Siege Artillery of the attack, was now to 
head a train of Artillery of the defence, in which duty and 
command he died. On his death, which happened at a most 
exciting period of the siege, he was succeeded by Major 
Lewis, whose conspicuous gallantry and severe wounds earned 
for him a well-deserved Good Service Pension. 

The strength of the Artillery was wholly inadequate to 
the number of guns on the Bock. It amounted to a total of 
25 officers, and 460 non-commissioned officers and men ; 
whereas, at the termination of the siege, the following was 
the serviceable and mounted armament : — 

G^ns. — Seventy-seven 32-pounders ; one hundred and 
twenty-two 24-pounders and 26-pounders ; one hundred and 
four 18-pounders ; seventy 12-pounders ; sixteen 9-poundcrs ; 
twenty-five 6-pounders; thirty-eight 4-pounder8 and im- 
pounders. 

Mortars. — Twenty-nine 13-inch ; one 10-inch ; six 8-incli ; 
and thirty-four of smaller natures. 

Howitzers, — ^Nineteen 10-inoh, and nine 8-inch. 

One of the first steps taken by the Governor, General 



Chap. XXV. Ammunition Expended. 273 

Eliott, was to attach 180 men from the infantry to the 
Artillery, to learn gunnery, and assist in the duties of the 
latter. The regiments in garrison were the 12th, 39th, 56th, 
and 58th, also the (then) 72nd regiment. The (then) 73rd 
and 97th regiments joined during the siege. There were 
also 124 Engineers and artificers, and three regiments of 
Hanoverian troops. The total strength of all ranks in June 
1779, was 5382 ; but it increased before the siege was over 
— by means of reinforcements from England — to 7000. 

A few statistics connected with the Artillery and their 
duties may, perhaps, with advantage be prefaced to the 
account of the siege. 

The amount of ammunition expended between September 
1779 and February 1783, was as follows : 



Shot . 


. , 57,163 


Grape . 


12,681 


Shell . 


. . 129,151 


Carcasses . 


926 




Light Balls . 


. . .679 





In all 200,600 rounds, and 8000 barrels of powder. 

The preponderance of the number of shell over shot was 
caused by the use, during the siege, of shell from guriB^ with 
reduced charges — as well as from mortars and howitzers ; 
suggested by Captain Mercier, of the 39th Begiment, and 
found so successful, as almost to abolish the use of shot 
during the first two years. In the year 1782, however, the 
value of red-hot shot against the enemy's fleet and works 
was discovered; the amount of shot expended rapidly in- 
creased ; and while there was hardly a battery without the 
means at hand for heating them, there was also a constant 
supply, already heated, in the chief batteries. 

The batteries from which the Artillery generally fired on 
the land side were those known collectively as Willis's ; but 
when the fleet, and especially the hornet-like gunboats, 
commenced annoying the garrison, the batteries towards the 
sea had also to be manned, and the duty became so severe, 
that at times the fire had to be slackened, literally to allow 
the men to snatch a few hours' sleep. 

The proportion in the Eoyal Artillery of killed and 

VOL. I. . T 



274 37/^ Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

wounded was very great. According to the records of the 
2nd Battalion, the list was even heavier than that given by 
Drinkwat^r in his celebrated work ; but even accepting the 
latter version as correct, it stood as follows : — 

Out of a total of 485 of all ranks, there were : — 



Killed .... 


. . 23 


Died of wounds . 


. . 8 


Totally disabled 


. . 13 


Wounded . 


. . 11(5 


Died of sickness 


. . 36 



Total number of casualities. . 196 
The oflEicers who w^ere killed were Captain J. Beeves and 
Lieutenant J. Grumley. The former commenced his career 
as a matross, and received his commission at the Havannah 
in 1762 : the latter was a volunteer, attached in 1778 to the 
Artillery in Gibraltar, and commissioned in 1780 ; who 
enjoyed his honours for a very short time, being killed in the 
bombardment of the 13th of September, 1782. The officers 
who were wounded were Major Lewis, Captain-Lieutenant 
Seward, Lieutenants Boag, Willington, Godfrey, and Cup- 
page. Of these, Lieutenant Boag was twice wounded during 
the siege. He, like Captain Beeves, had commenced his 
service as a matross; nor was his promotion accelerated 
by brevet or otherwise on account of his wounds, in the 
dull times of reduction and stagnation, which followed the 
peace signed at Versailles in 1783. He was at last appointed 
Major in 1801. Betiring two years later, after a service of 
forty-five years, he died, as he had lived, plain James Boag, 
— unnoticed, forgotten, as the great siege itself was, in the 
boiling whirl which was circling over Europe, fevering 
every head and heart. 

Two valuable inventions were made during the siege by 
Artillery officers, to increase the efficacy of their fire. By 
means of one, a gun could be depressed to any angle not 
exceeding 70'^ — a most important invention in a fortification 
like Gibraltar. 

The other discovery — if it may be called so — was in an 



Chap. XXV. Importance of Artillery Officers. 275 

opposite direction. The nightly bombardment, in 1781, by 
the enemy's gnnboats not merely caused great damage and 
loss of life, bnt also an annoyance and irritation out of 
proportion to the injury inflicted. Goyernor Eliott resolved 
to retaliate in similar fashion, and to bombard the Spanish 
camp, which it was hoped to reach by firing from the Old 
Mole Head. On it was placed a 13-inch sea-service mortar, 
fired at the usual elevation but with a charge of from 
twenty-eight to thirty pounds of powder ; and in the sand 
alongside, secured by timber, and at an angle of 42^, five 
32-pounders and one 18 pounder were sunk, and fired with 
charges of fourteen and nine pounds of powder respectively. 
The results were most satisfactory, — alarming and annoying 
the enemy, and in proportion cheering the garrison. 

It was impossible that a siege of such duration could con- 
tinue without the importance and responsibility of Artillery 
officers becoming apparent. This fact produced an order 
from the Governor, which saved them from much inter- 
ference from amateur Artillerymen in the form of Brigadiers, 
The oflEicers commanding in any part of the Fort were for- 
bidden to interfere with the officers of Artillery in the 
execution of their duty, nor were they to give orders for 
firing from any of the batteries without consulting the 
officer who might happen to be in charge of the Artillery. 

The life of the garrison during this weary, siege was, as 
might be expected, monotonous in the extreme. The dis- 
tress undergone, the want of provisions felt by all ranks, 
from the self denying Governor downwards; — the hoping 
against hope for relief; — the childish excitement at every 
rumour which reached the place ; — the indignation at what 
seemed a cruel, unnecessary, and spiteful bombardment ; — and 
the greater fury among the troops, when, among other 
results of the enemy's fire, came the disclosure in the 
damaged houses and stores of the inhabitants, of large 
quantities of wine and provisions, hoarded through all the 
time of scarcity, in the hope that with still greater famine 
the price they would bring would bo greater too ; — all these 
are told with the minuteness of daily observation, in the 

T 2 



I 



276 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

work from which all accounts of the siege are more or less 
drawn. 

The marvellous contentment with which the troops bore 
privations, which they saw were necessary; the good- 
humour and discipline they always displayed, save on the 
occasion just mentioned, when anger drove them into ma- 
rauding, and intoxication produced its usual effect on troops ; 
the extraordinary coolness and courage they displayed during 
even the worst part of the bombardment, a courage which 
was even foolhardy, and had to be restrained ; all these make 
this siege one of the noblest chapters in England's military 
history. 

Although the blockade commenced in 1779, it was April, 
1781, before the bombardment from the Spanish lines, which 
drove the miserable townspeople from their houses for shelter 
to the south of the Eock, can be said to have regularly com- 
menced. When it did commence, it did so in earnest; shells 
filled with an inflammable matter were used, which set the 
buildings on fire ; and a graphic description of a bombarded 
town may be found in Drinkwater's pages. " About noon, 
" Lieutenant Budworth, of the 72nd Regiment, and Surgeon 
" Chisholme, of the 56th, were wounded by a splinter of a 
*' shell, at the door of a northern casemate in the King's 
"Bastion. The former was dangerously scalped, and the 
"latter had one foot taken off, and the other leg broken, 
"besides a wound in the knee. * * ♦ Many 
" casks of flour were brought into the King's Bastion, and 
" piled as temporary traverses before the doors of the south- 
"ern casemates, in which several persons had been killed 
" and wounded in bed. * * * In the course of 
" the day, a shell fell through the roof of the galley-house, 
" where part of the 39th and some of the 12th Regiments 
" were quartered ; it killed two, and wounded four privates. 
" * * * In the course of the 20th April, 1781, the 
" Victualling Office was on fire for a short time ; and at 

night, the town was on fire in four different places. * 

* * On the 2lBt, the enemy's cannonade continued 
" very brisk ; forty-two rounds were counted in two minutes. 






Chap. XXV. Drinkwaters Description of the Siege. 277 

" The Garrison Flag-staff, on the Grand Battery, was so much 
" injured by their fire, that the upper part was obliged to be 
" cut off, and the colours, or rather their glorious remains, 
" were nailed to the stump. * * * On the 
" 23rd, the wife of a soldier was killed behind the South 
" Barracks, and several men wounded. * * * * 
^' On the 24th, a shell fell at the door of a casemate in the 
" King's Bastion, and wounded four men within the bomb- 
*' proof. ♦ ♦ ♦ Tjj^ buildings at this time 
"exhibited a most dreadful picture of the results of so 
" animated a bombardment. Scarce a house north of Grand 
" Parade was habitable ; all of them were deserted. Some 
" few near Southport continued to be inhabited by soldiers' 
" families ; but in general, the floors and roofs were de- 
" stroyed, and only the shell left standing. * * * 
" A shell from the gunboats fell in a house in Hardy Town, 
"and killed Mr. Israel, a very respectable Jew, with Mrs. 
" Tourale, a female relation, and his clerk. ♦ ♦ * 
" A soldier of the 72nd Kegiment was killed in his bed by a 
" round shot, and a Jew butcher was equally unfortunate. 
" * * * The gunboats bombarded our camp about 
" midnight, and killed and wounded twelve or fourteen. * 
" * * About ten o'clock on the evening of 18th 
" September, a shell from the lines fell into a house opposite 
" the King's Bastion, where the Town Major, Captain Burke, 
" with Majors Mercier and Vignoles, were sitting. The 
" shell took off Major Burke's thigh ; afterwards fell through 
" the floor into the cellar — there it burst, and forced the 
" flooring, with the unfortunate Major, to the ceiling. When 
" assistance came, they found poor Major Burke almost 
" buried among the ruins of the room. He was instantly 
" conveyed to the Hospital, where he died soon after. * 
" * * On the 30th, a soldier of the 72nd lost both 
" his legs by a shot from Fort Barbara. ♦ ♦ ♦ 
"In the afternoon of the 7th October, a shell fell into a 
"house in town, where Ensign Stephens of the 39th was 
" sitting. Imagining himself not safe where he was, he 
" quitted the room to get to a more secure place ; but just 



278 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

"as ho passed tho door, the shell burst, and a splinter 
" mortally wounded him in the reins, and another took off 
" his leg. He was conveyed to the Hospital, and had suffered 
" amputation before the surgeons discovered the mortal 
" wound in the body. He died about seven o'clock. * 
" * * In the course of the 25th March, 1782, a shot 
" came through one of the capped embrasures on Princess 
" Amelia's Battery, took off the legs of two men belonging 
" to the 72nd and 73rd Regiments, one leg of another soldier 
" of the 73rd, and wounded another man in both legs ; thus 
"four men had seven legs taken off and wounded by one 
" shot." 

And so on, ad infinitum. The daily life was like this; 
for although even worse was to come at the final attack, 
this wearying, cruel bombardment went on literally every 
day. On the 5th May, 1782, the bombardment ceased 
for twenty-four hours, for the first time during thirteen 
months. 

As in the time of great pestilence, after the first alarm has 
subsided, there is a callous indifference, which creeps over 
those who have escaped, and among whom the familiarity 
with Death seems almost to have bred contempt, so — during 
this long siege — after the novelty and excitement of the first 
few days' bombardment had worn off, the men became so in- 
different to the danger, that, when a shell fell near them, 
the officer in charge would often have to compel them to 
take the commonest precautions. The fire of the enemy 
became a subject of wit even, and laughter, among the men ; 
and probably the unaccustomed silence of that 5th of May, 
when the bombardment was suspended, was quite irksome to 
these creatures of habit, whose favourite theme of conversa- 
tion was thus removed. 

Among the incidents of the bombardment, there was one 
which demands insertion in this work, as the victim — a 
matross — belonged to the Royal Artillery. Shortly before 
the bombardment commenced, he had broken his thigh; 
and being a hearty, active fellow, he found the confinement 
in hospital very irksome. He managed to get out of the 



Chap. XXV. Heroic Actions. 279 

ward before he was cured, and his spirits proving too much 
for him, he forgot his broken leg, and falling again, he was 
taken up as bad as eyer. While lying in the ward for the 
second time under trjsatment, a shell from one of the gun- 
boats entered, and rebounding, lodged on his body as he lay, 
the shell spent, but the fuze burning. The other sick men^' 
in the room summoned strength to crawl out of the wardi 
before the shell burst ; but this poor fellow was kept down 
in his bed by the weight of the shell, and the shock of the 
blow, and when it burst, it took off both his legs, and 
scorched him frightfully. Wonderful to say, he survived a 
short time, and remained sensible to the last. Before he 
died he expressed his regret that he had not been killed in 
the batteries. Heroic, noble wish I While men like these 
are to be found in the ranks of our armies, let no man 
despair. Heroism such as this, in an educated man, may be 
inspired by mixed motives — personal courage, hope of being 
remembered with honour, pride in what will be said at home, 
and, perhaps, a touch of theatrical effect, — but, in a man like 
this brave matross, whose courage has failed even to rescue 
his name from oblivion, although his story remains — the 
heroism is pure and simple — unalloyed, and the mere ex- 
pression of devotion to duty, for duty's sake. And this 
heroism is god-like ! 

This was but one of many heroic actions performed by 
men of the Eoyal Artillery. Another deserves mention, in 
which the greatest coolness and presence of mind were dis- 
played. A gunner, named Hartley, was employed in the 
laboratory, filling shells with carcass composition and fixing 
fuzes. During the operation a fuze ignited, and " Although 
" he was surrounded by unfixed fuzes, loaded shells, compo- 
" sition, &c., with the most astonishing coolness he carried 
" out the lighted shell, and threw it where it could do little 
" or no harm. Two seconds had scarcely elapsed, before it 
" exploded. K the shell had burst in the laboratory, it is 
" almost certain the whole would have been blown up — when 
" the loss in fixed ammunition, fuzes, &c., would have been 
" irreparable— exclusive of the damage which the fortifica- 



28o The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

'' tions would have suffered from the explosion, and the lives 
" that might have been lost." ^ 

Yet again. On New Year's Day, 1782, an officer of Artil- 
lery in Willis's Batteries, observing a shell about to fall near 
where he was standing, got behind a traverse for shelter. 
The shell struck this very traverse, and hefore bursting, half 
buried him with the earth loosened by the impact. One 
of the guard — named Martin— observing his officer's position, 
hurried, in spite of the risk to his own life when the shell 
should burst, and endeavoured to extricate him from the 
rubbish. Unable to do it by himself, he called for assistance, 
and another of the guard, equally regardless of personal 
danger, ran to him, and they had hardly succeeded in extri- 
cating their officer, when the shell burst and levelled the 
•traverse with the ground. 

This great siege of Calpe, the fourteenth to which the 
Eock had been subjected, divides itself into three epochs. 
First, the monotonous blockade, commencing in July, 1 779 ; 
second, the bombardment which commenced in April, 
1781 ; and third, the grand attack, on the 13th September, 
1782. 

The blockade was varied by occasional reliefs and rein- 
forcements ; and was accompanied by an incessant fire from 
the guns of the fortress on the Spanish works. The batteries 
most used at first were Willis's, so called (according to an old 
MS. of 1705, in the Eoyal Artillery Eecord Office), because 
the man who»was most energetic, when these batteries were 
first armed, bore that name. When the attacks from the 
gunboats commenced, the batteries to the westward— the 
King's Bastions and others — were also employed. The steady 
fire kept up by the Artillery, its^ accuracy, and the improve- 
ments in it suggested by the experience of the siege, were 
themes of universal admiration; and the many ingenious 
devices, some of them copied by the enemy, by which, with 
the assistance of the Engineers, they masked, strengthened, 
and repaired their batteries, form a most interesting study 



Drink wat<^r. 



Chap. XXV. Perforated Stone Balls, 2 8 1 

for the modem Artilleryman. The incessant Artillery duel, 
which went on, made the gunners' nights as sleepless fre- 
quently as their days ; for the hours of darkness had to be 
devoted to repairing the damages sustained during the day. 
Well may the celebrated chronicler of the siege talk of them 
as " our brave Artillery/' — brave in the sense of continuous 
endurance, not merely spasmodic effort. 

At the siege of Belleisle, described in a former chapter, 
the failing ammunition of the enemy was indicated by the 
use of wooden and stone projectiles. The latter were used 
by the Eoyal Artillery at Gibraltar, but for a different 
reason. To check and distract the working-parties of the 
enemy, shell had been chiefly employed by the garrison ; 
and the proficiency they attained in the use of these pro- 
jectiles can easily be accounted for, when it is remembered 
how soon and how accurately every range could be ascer- 
tained ; how eager the gunners were to make every shot tell ; 
and how exceedingly important it was to check the con- 
tinued advance of the enemy's works. For variety's sake, it 
would seem, for there was no need to economize shell at this 
time — in pure boyish love of change, the Artillerymen de- 
vised stone balls, perforated so as to admit of a small 
bursting-charge, and a short fuze ; and it was found that 
the bursting of these projectiles over the Spanish working- 
parties caused them incredible annoyance. 

Although the fire of the garrison during the first epoch of 
the siege was the most important consideration, and its 
value could hardly be overrated, as to it alone was any hope 
due of prolonging the defence until help should come from 
England, — it was not the only distinctive feature of this 
time. It was during the blockade that the garrison was 
most sorely tried by the scarcity of food. And in forming 
our estimate of the defence of Gibraltar, it should never be 
forgotten that the defenders were always the same — unre- 
lieved, without communication with any back country ; and 
with hardly any reinforcements to ease the heavy duties. The 
97 th Eegiment, which arrived during the siege, was long in 
the garrison before it was permitted, or indeed was able, to 



282 The Great Siege of Gibraltar, chap. XXV. 

take its share of daty ; and the hard work, as well as the 
hard fare, fell upon the same individuals. 

The statistics, given so curtly by Drinkwater, as to the 
famine in the place, enable us to realize the daily privations 
of the troops. At one time, scurvy had so reduced the 
effective strength of the garrison, that a shipload of lemons 
which arrived was a more valuable contingent than several 
regiments would have been. In reading the account of this, 
with all the quiet arguments as to the value of lemon-juice, 
and its effect upon the patients, one cannot but wish, that in 
every military operation there were artists like Drinkwater 
to fill in the details of those pictures, whose outlines may be 
drawn by military commanders, or by the logic of events, but 
whose canvas becomes doubly inviting through the agency 
of the other industrious and unobtrusive brush. Modern 
warlike operations suffer from an overabundance of descrip- 
tion ; but the skeleton supplied by official reports, and the 
frequent flabbiness of those rendered by newspaper corre- 
spondents, produce a result far inferior to the compact 
picture presented by a writer at once observant and pro- 
fessional. 

In a table, at the end of Drinkwater's work, crowded out 
of the book, as if hardly worthy of mention, and yet most 
precious to the student now, we find some of the prices paid 
for articles of food during the siege. Fowls brought over a 
guinea a couple; beef as much as 4s. lOi. per pound; a 
goose, 30a. ; best tea as high as 2Z. 5s. 6d. per pound ; eggs, 
as much as 4a. lOji. per dozen ; cheese, 4s. Id!, per pound ; 
onions, 2a. 6i. per pound ; a cabbage, la. 7 Ji. ; a live pig, 
9Z. 14a. 9d. ; and a sow in pig, over 29Z. 

The high price, at times, of all vegetables, was an index 
of the existence of that terrible scourge — scurvy. 

Some very quaint sales took place. An English cow was 
sold during the blockade for fifty guineas, reserving to the 
sellers a pint of milk each day while she continued to give it ; 
while another cow was purchased by a Jew for sixty guineas, 
but in so feeble a state, that she dropped down dead before 
she had been removed many hundred yards. The imagina- 



Chap. XXV. The Bombardment. 283 

tion fails in attempting to realize the purchaser's face—a 
Jew, and a Gibraltar Jew; but can readily conceive the 
laugh against him among the surrounding crowd, their 
haggard faces looking more ghastly as they smiled. Al- 
though Englishmen take their pleasure sadly, they also 
bear their troubles lightly. An English soldier must be 
reduced indeed, ere he fails to enjoy a joke at another 
man's expense, and this characteristic was not wanting 
at Gibraltar. 

The second epoch — the Bombardment — was at first hardly 
believed to be possible. The fire of the garrison was directed 
against an assailant and a masculine force ; but a bombard- 
ment of Gibraltar meant — in the minds of its defenders^a 
wanton sacrifice of women and children ; a wholesale murder 
of un warlike inhabitants, who could not escape, and to whom 
the claims of the conflicting Powers were immaterial. The 
wailing of women over murdered children, of children over 
wounded parents ; the smoking ruins of recently happy 
homes ; the distress of the flying tradespeople and their 
families, seeking safety to the southward of the Bock, and 
abandoning their treasures to bombardment and pillage ; all 
these told with irritating efiect upon the troops of a country 
whose sons are chivalrous without being demonstrative. In 
days coming on — in terrible days which many who read 
these pages may have lived in and seen, English troops shall 
clench their hands, and set their teeth with cruel hardness, 
as they come upon little female relics — articles of jewellery 
or dress — perhaps even locks of hair, scattered in hideous 
abandonment near that well at Gawnpore, whose horrors 
have often been imagined — never told. To these who have 
seen this picture, the feelings of the beleaguered garrison in 
Gibraltar will be easily intelligible, as they stumbled in the 
town over a corpse— and that corpse a woman's. No wonder 
that when the great sally took place, historical as much for 
its boldness as its success, there was an angry desperation 
among the troops, which it would have taken tremendous 
obstacles to resist. It was a brave morning, that 27th of 
November, 1781, when "the moon's nightly course was 



284 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

" nearly run,"* and ere the sun had risen, a little over 2000 
men sallied forth to destroy the advanced works of the 
enemy — an enemy 14,000 strong — and works, three-quarters 
of a mile from the garrison, and " within a few hundred yards 
"of the enemy's lines, which mounted 135 pieces of heavy 
" artillery." * The oflScers and men of the Eoyal Artillery 
who took part in the sortie, numbered 114; and were 
divided into detachments to accompany the three columns 
of the sallying force, to spike the enemy's guns, destroy their 
magazines and ammunition, and set fire to their works. It 
was the last order issued in Colonel Tovey's name to the 
brave men whom he had commanded since the promotion of 
Colonel Godwin. For Abraham Tovey was sick unto death ; 
and as his men were parading for the sortie, and the moon 
was running her nightly course — his was running fast too. 
Before his men returned, he was dead. For nearly half a 
century he had served in the Eoyal Artillery — beginning his 
career as a matross in 1734, and ending it as a Lieutenant- 
Colonel in 1781. He died in harness — died in the command 
of a force of Garrison Artillery which has never been sur- 
passed nor equalled, save by the great and famous siege-train 
in the Crimea. 

The troops for the sortie paraded at midnight, on the Red 
Sands, under Brigadier-General Eoss. They consisted of the 
12th Eegiment, and Hardenberg's — two which had fought 
side by side at Minden — and the Grenadiers and light infantry 
of the oth^r regiments. There were also, in addition to the 
Artillery, 100 sailors, 3 Engineers, with 7 oflScers and 12 non- 
commissioned oflScers, overseers, 40 artificers, and 160 men 
from the line as a working party. A reserve of the 39th 
and 58th Eegiments was also in readiness, if required. 

On reaching the works, " The ardour of the assailants was 
" irresistible. The enemy on every side gave way, abandon- 
" ing in an instant, and with the utmost precipitation, those 
" works which had cost them so much expense, and em- 
" ployed so many months to perfect. ♦ ♦ ♦ 



Drinkwater. 



Chap. XXV. Tke Attack of September I ^th^ 1782. 285 

"The exertions of the workmen, and the Artillery, were 
" wonderful. The batteries were soon in a state for the fire 
" faggots to operate ; and the flames spread with astonishing 
" rapidity into every part. The column of fire and smoke 
" which rolled from the works, beautifully illuminated the 
"troops and neighbouring objects, forming altogether a 
" coup d'ceil not possible to be described. In an hour, the 
" object of the sortie was fully efiected."^ 

The third epoch, culminating in the grand attack on the 
13th September, 1782, is deeply interesting. The fate of 
Minorca had released a number of Spanish troops, to act 
against Gibraltar ; and large French reinforcements had 
arrived. On the land side, there were now " Most stupen- 
" dous and strong batteries and works, mounting two hun- 
" dred pieces of heavy ordnance, and protected by an army 
" of near 40,000 men, commanded by a victorious and active 
" general, the Duke de Crillon ; and animated by the imme- 
"diate presence of two Princes of the Eoyal Blood of 
" France." From the sea, the Fort was menaced by forty- 
seven sail of the line : — " Ten battering-ships, deemed 
"perfect in design, and esteemed invincible, carrying 212 
" guns ; besides innumerable frigates, xebeques, bomb- 
" ketches, cutters, gun and mortar-boats, and smaller craft 
" for disembarking men." ^ 

It was during the bombardment immediately preceding 
the grand attack, that Major Lewis was wounded, and 
Lieutenant Boag received his second wound, the latter in a 
singular manner. He was in the act of laying a gun, when 
a shell fell in the Battery. He immediately threw himself 
into an embrasure for safety when the shell should ex- 
plode; but when the shell burst, it fired the gun under 
whose muzzle he lay. Besides other injury, the report de- 
prived him of hearing, and it was very long ere he recovered. 
Another oflScer of the Artillery, Major Martin, had a narrow 
escape at the same time, a 26-pounder shot carrying away 
the cock of his hat, near the crown. 



Drink water. 



286 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

The 26-pounder was a very common gun, both in the 
Eock and in the enemy's land-batteries ; bnt as it was not 
used on board their ships, and to prevent them returning 
the shot of the garrison against themselves, all the 26- 
pounders were moved to the seaward batteries, and fired 
against the ships, guns of other calibres being employed 
against the land forces. 

The battering ships, with their supposed impregnable 
shields, were the mainstay of the enemy's hopes; but the 
use of red-hot shot by the garrison made them after a time 
perfectly useless. 

When the cannonade was at its highest pitch, on the day 
of the grand attack, " the showers of shot and shell which 
"were directed from the enemy's land-batteries, the bat- 
** tering-ships, and, on the other hand, from the various 
" works of the garrison, exhibited a scene of which, perhaps, 
" neither the pen nor pencil can furnish a competent ide^. 
"It is sufficient to say that four hundred pieces of the 
" heaviest Artillery were playing at the same moment : an 
" instance which has scarcely occurred in any siege since 
"the invention of those wonderful engines of destruc- 
"tion."^ 

At first the battering-ships seemed to deserve their repu- 
tation. "Our heaviest shells often rebounded from their 
" tops, whilst the 32-pound shot seemed incapable of making 
" any visible impression upon their hulls. ♦ ♦ ♦ Even 
" the Artillery themselves at this period had their doubts of 
" the efi'ect of the red-hot shot. ♦ * ♦ Though so vexa- 
" tiously annoyed from the Isthmus, our Artillery totally 
" disregarded their opponents in that quarter, directing their 
" sole attention to the battering-ships, the furious and 
" spirited opposition of which served to excite our people 
" to more animated exertions. A fire, more tremendous, if 
"possible, than ever was therefore directed from the gar- 
" rison. Incessant showers of hot balls, carcasses, and shells 
" of every species flew from all quarters ; and as the masts 



Drinkwatcr. 



CiTAP. XXV. Confusion among the Enemy. 287 

" of several of the ships were shot away, and the rigging of 
" all in great confusion, our hopes of a speedy and favourable 
" decision began to revive." * 

Towards evening, signs of great distress and confusion 
were visible on board the ships, and the Admiral's ship was 
seen to be on fire. But not until next morning did the gar- 
rison realize how great was their advantage. In the mean- 
time the fire was continued, though less rapidly ; and " as 
" the Artillery, from such a hard-fought day, exposed to the 
'' intense heat of a warm sun, in addition to the harassing 
" duties of the preceding night, were much fatigued ; and as 
" it was impossible te foresee what new objects might 
" demand their service the following day ; the Governor 
" about six in the evening, when the enemy's fire abated, 
^' permitted the majority of the officers and men to be re- 
" lieved by a piquet of a hundred men from the Marine 
" Brigade ; and officers and non-commissioned officers of the 
" Artillery were stationed on the different batteries, to direct 
" the sailors in the mode of firing the hot shot." * 

During the night, several of the battering-ships took fire, 
and the scenes on board were terrible. Next day " three 
" more blew up, and three were burnt to the water's edge ; " 
and of the only two remaining, one " unexpectedly burst out 
" into flames, and in a short time blew up, with a terrible 
" report," and the other was burnt in the afternoon by an 
officer of the English navy. 

" The exertions and activity of the brave Artillery," says 
Drinkwater, '^ in this well-fought contest, deserve the highest 
"commendations. ♦ ♦ ♦ The ordnance and carriages 
" in the Fort were much damaged ; but by the activity of 
" the Artillery, the whole sea-line before night was in ser- 
"viceable order. ♦ * ♦ During this action the enemy 
" had more than three hundred pieces of heavy ordnance in 
" play ; whilst the garrison had only eighty cannon, seven 
"mortars, and nine howitzers in opposition. Upwards of 
" 8300 rounds, more than half of which were hot-shot, and 



Drinkwater. 



288 The Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. xxv. 

"716 barrels of powder, were expended by our Artillery. 
" * * * The distance of the battering- ships from the 
" garrison was exactly such as our Artillery could have 
"wished. It required so small an elevation that almost 
" every shot took eflfect." 

On the 13th, the day of the attack. Captain Beeves and 
five men of the Eoyal Artillery were killed : Captains Groves 
and Seward, and Lieutenant Godfrey, with twenty-one men, 
were wounded. 

It was, indeed, as Carlyle says, a " Doom's-blast of a No," 
which the Artillery of Gibraltar answered to the summons 
of this grand attack. 

After the failure of the attack, the enemy did not discon- 
tinue their old bombardment, nor did the gun-boats fail to 
make their nightly appearance, and molest the inhabitants 
longing for rest. The Governor accordingly directed the 
Artillery to resume the retaliation from the Old Mole Head 
vnth the highly-elevated guns against the enemy's camp. 
The command of the Royal Artillery now lay with Colonel 
Williams, an oflSicer who joined the service as a cadet-gunner 
in 1744, and died at Woolwich in 1790. 

The work of the Artillery in the interval between the 
grand attack and the declaration of peace was incessant, day 
and night. 

On the 2nd February, 1783, exchange of shots ceased ; 
and letters were sent by the Spanish to the Governor an- 
nouncing that the preliminaries of peace were signed at 
Paris. From this date, courtesies were constantly exchanged. 
It was on the occasion of a friendly visit of the Duke de 
Crillon to the Fort, that on the oflScers of Artillery being 
presented to him he said, " Gentlemen ! I would rather see 
"you here as friends, than on your batteries as enemies, 
" where you never spared me." 

The siege had lasted in all three years, seven months, 
and twelve days; and during this time the troops had 
well earned the expressions used with regard to them by 
General Eliott, when he paraded them to receive the thanks 
of the Houses of Parliament, — '* Your chfeerful submission 



Chap. XXV. Artillery Specially Commended. 289 

" to Ihe greatest hardships, your matchless spirit and exer- 
" tions, and on all occasions your heroic contempt of every 
" danger." 

To the Artillery, for their share in this matchless defence, 
there came also the commendation of their own chief, the 
Master-General of the Ordnance, then the Duke of Eichmond. 
The old records of the Begiment seem to sparkle and shine 
as one comes on such a sentence as this : — *' His Majesty has 
"seen with great satisfaction such effectual proofs of the 
" bravery, zeal, and skill by which you and the Eoyal Eegi- 
" ment of Artillery under your command at Gibraltar have 
" so eminently distinguished yourselves during the siege ; 
" and particularly in setting fire to, and destroying all the 
"floating batteries of the combined forces of France and 
" Spain on the 13th September last." 

There was so much in the Peace of 1783 that was painful 
to England, not so much in a military as in a political point 
of view, but undoubtedly in the former also, that one hesi- 
tates to leave this bright spot in the history of the time, and 
to turn back to that weary seven years' catalogue in America, 
of blunders, dissensions, and loss. It was one and the same 
Peace which celebrated the salvation of Gibraltar, and the 
loss of our American Colonies. A strong arm saved the one : 
a foolish statesmanship lost the other. But be statesmen 
wise or foolish, armies have to march where they order ; and 
the history of a foolish war has to be written as well as that 
of a wise one. 

It was October, 1783, ere the companies of the Eoyal 
Artillery which had been present at the Great Siege returned 
to Woolwich on relief. The next active service they saw 
was in Egypt in 1801, when three of them, Nos. 1, 2, and 4 
Companies of the Second Battalion, were present with Aber- 
cromby's force at the Battle of Alexandria, and during the 
subsequent operations. 

To serve in one of these companies is to serve in one whose 
antecedents as Garrison Artillery are unsurpassed. Their 
fitory is one which should be handed down among the oflSicers 
aud men belonging to them: for they have a reputation to 

VOL. I. u 



290 Tfu Great Siege of Gibraltar. Chap. XXV. 

maintain which no altered nomenclature can justify them in 
allowing to become tarnished. 

There is no fear of courage being wanting ; but the standard 
from which there should be no falling away is that of con- 
duct and proficiency, worthy of the old proficiency maintained 
under such harsh circumstances, and of the old conduct which 
shone so brightly in the " cheerful submission to the greatest 
" hardships." 



( ^9^ ) 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



Port Mahok. 



rrHE military importance of tbe capture of Minorca from 
^ the English in 1782 was not, perhaps, snch as to war- 
rant a separate chapter for its consideration. But the defence 
of St. Philip's Castle by the English against the combined 
forces of France and Spain was so exceptionally gallant, their 
suflferings so great, and the zeal and courage of the Artillery, 
especially, so conspicuous, that something more than a pass- 
ing mention is necessary in a work of this nature. 

The siege lasted from the 19th August, 1781, to the 5th 
February, 1782. General Murray was Governor, and Sir 
William Draper, Lieutenant-Governor. The strength of the 
garrison at the commencement of the siege was 2295 of all 
ranks ; at the end of the siege, this number had been reduced 
to 1227, but so many of these were in hospital, that the whole 
number able to march out at the capitulation did not exceed 
— to use the Governor's own words — " 600 old decrepit sol- 
" diers, 200 seamen, 170 of the Eoyal Artillery, 20 Corsicans, 
** 25 Greeks, Moors, &c." 

In a postscript to the official report of the capitulation the 
Governor says : — " It would be unjust and ungrateful were 
'' I not to declare that from the beginning to the last hour 
" of the siege, the officers and men of the Eoyal Eegiment 
" of Artillery distinguished themselves. I believe the world 
" cannot produce more expert gunners and bombardiers than 
" those who served in this siege." This alone would make 
imperative some notice of this siege in a narrative of the 
services of the Corps. 

In the Castle of St. Philip's, there were at the commence- 
ment of the siege 234 guns and mortars. At the end, no less 
than 78 of these had been rendered unserviceable by the 

u 2 



292 Port Malum. Chap. XXVI. 

enemy's fire. The batteries were almost demolished, and 
the buildings a heap of ruins. 

The following oflSieers of the Eoyal Artillery were present : 

Major Walton. 

Captains : Fead, Lambert, Schalch, Parry, and Dixon. 

First Lieutenants : Irwin, Woodward, Lemoine, Neville, 

and Bradbridge. 
Second Lieutenants : Hope, Wulff, and Hamilton. 

Li addition to the Artillery the garrison was composed of 
two Eegiments of British, and two of Hanoverian troops. 

The commandant of the enemy's forces was the Duke de 
Crillon, the same oflSicer who after the capitulation of St. 
Philip's proceeded to command at the Siege of Gibraltar. He 
drew upon himself a well-merited rebuke from General 
Murray, whom he had endeavoured to bribe, with a view to 
the immediate surrender of the Castle ; a rebuke which he 
felt, and answered with great respect, and admiration. 

There is in the Royal Artillery Eecord Office a journal 
kept during the siege by Captain F. M. Dixon, E.A., from 
which the following details are taken, many of which would 
lose their force if given except in the writer's own words. 
The siege commenced on the 20th August, when there was 
nothing but confusion and disorder within St. Philip's, to 
which the troops had retired; but the enemy did not com- 
mence firing on the Castle until the 15th September. The 
English had not been so quiet ; they commenced firing at a 
great range on the 27th August, and with great success. 
At the request of the Duke de Crillon, all the English families 
had been sent out, in humane anticipation of the intended 
bombardment. Desertion from the enemy was frequent at 
first ; and as the siege progressed it was occasional from the 
British troops. When a deserter was captured, he received 
no mercy. 

The most deadly enemy of the garrison was scurvy. Hence 
an order on the 7th November, 1781, for an officer and six 
men per company to be told off daily to gather pot-herbs on 
the glacis. Anything of a vegetable nature brought a fabu- 



Chap. XXVI. Privation and Sickness. 293 

lous price ; tea was sold at thirty shillings a pound ; the 
number of sick increased every day, the men concealing their 
illness to the last rather than go to hospital, and very 
frequently dying on duty from sheer exhaustion: — "Our 
"people," says the diary, "do more than can be expected, 
" considering their strength ; the scurvy is inveterate. * * 
" * * 108 men fell sick in two days with the scurvy. 
" * * * I am sorry our men are so very sickly ; our 
" people fall down surprisingly, we have not a relief. * * 
"* The Hanoverians die very fast: there is no fighting 
"against God. * ♦ * Our troops increase vastly in 
" their sickness ; " and so on. Among those who fell a 
victim during the siege was Captain Lambert, of the 
Artillery. 

So heavy were the duties that even the General's orderly 
sergeants were given up to diminish the burden ; and when 
the capitulation was resolved upon, it was found that while 
the necessary guards required 415 men, there were only 660 
able to carry arms, leaving, as the Governor said, no men for 
piquet, and a deficiency of 170 men to relieve the guard. 
Against this small force, entrenched in what was now a mere 
heap of rubbish, there was an enemy, whose lowest number 
was estimated at 15,000, and was more likely 20,000. 

Some of the enemy's batteries were armed with 13-inch 
mortars. When the British ammunition ran short, the 
shells of the enemy which had not burst were returned to 
them, and in default of these, stone projectiles were used 
with much efiect. 

On the 12th December, 1781, the following batteries had 
been opened against the Castle : — 

Hangman's Battery, coDtaining 8 guns and 4 mortars. 

Bcneside Battery, ,, 15 guns. 

Dragoon Battery, „ 15 guns. 

Burg06*s Battery, „ 28 guns. 

Swiss Battery, „ 14 to 16 guns. 

America Battery, „ 14 to 16 guns. 

Murcia Battery, „ 14 to 10 guns. 

A small Battery, ,, 6 mortars. 

Assessor's Batter)', ,. 6 guns. 



294 Port Malum. Chap. XXVI. 

Cove Battery, ct»ntaining 6 guns and 3 mortars. 

George Town I^attery, „ 6 guns and 4 mortars. 

French Battery, „ 12 guns. 

6Y. Otordi Battery, „ 6 guns and 3 mortars. 

Russian Hospital, „ 26 guns. 

A Battery on the road) -^ 

to Philipot Cove, \ " ^^^^• 

But the above list does not exhaust the number which 
ultimately directed their fire on the Castle. New batteries 
were prepared without intermission, hemming in with a 
deadly circle the devoted garrison. Some extracts from 
Captain Dixon's diary will give some idea of the fire to which 
the place was subjected : — 

January 6th, 1782. " A little before seven o'clock this 
" morning they gave three cheers and fired a feu de joie ; 
" then all their batteries fired upon us with great fury, which 
" was equally returned by our brave Artillery. Our General 
** declared he had never seen guns and mortars better served 
** than ours were." 

January 7th, 1782. " Such a terrible fire, night and day, 
" from both sides, never has been seen at any siege. We 
" knew of 86 brass guns and 40 mortars against us. * * * 
" Our batteries are greatly demolished ; it is with great 
" difficulty that we can stand to our guns." 
January 9. "All last night and this day they never 
ceased firing, and we as well returned it. Tou would have 
thought the elements were in a blaze. It has been ob- 
" served they fire about 750 shot and shell every hour. Who 
" in the name of God is able to stand it ? We hear they 
" have 200 guns in their park." 
January 10. "The enemy had 36 shells in flight at the 
same time. God has been with us in preserving our people : 
they are in high spirits, and behave as Englishmen. Con- 
" sidering our small garrison, they do wonders. Our Gene- 
" rals constantly visit all the works. * * * A great 
" number of shells fell within the limits of the Castle. * 
"* * A shell fell in the General's quarters, wounded 
" Captain Fead of the Artillery, and two other officers." 
f January 11. "The enemy keep up, if possible, a fiercer 









Chap. XXVI. Captain Dixon s Diary. 295 

" fire than yesterday. A man might safely swear, for six 
" days past, the firing was so qnick that it was like a proof 
" at Woolwich of 200 cannon. About a quarter past six, the 
" enemy began to fire shells, I may say innumerable." 

January 19. " Never was Artillery better served, I may 
" say in favour of our own corps." 

January 20. *' This night shells meet shells in the air. 
" We have a great many sick and wounded, and those that 
" have died of their wounds. ♦ ♦ * Our sentries have 
" hardly time to call out, ' A shell ! ' and * Down ! ' before 
" others are at their heels." 

January 24. " The Artillery have had hard duty and are 
" greatly fatigued. The scurvy rages among our men." 

The casualties among the small garrison, between the 6th 
and 25th of January, 1782, included 24 killed, 34 died, 71 
wounded, and 4 deserted. 

January 28, 1782. "They fire shot and shell every 
" minute. The poor Castle is in a tattered and rotten con- 
"dition, as indeed are all the works in general. ♦ ♦ ♦ 
" The Castle and every battery round it are so filled by the 
" excavations made by the enemy's shells, that he must be a 
" nimble young man who can go from one battery to another 
" without danger. The Castle, their grand mark, as well as 
" the rest of the works, are in a most shocking plight." 

On the 4th February, a new and powerful battery of the 
enemy's, on a very commanding situation, being ready to 
open fire, a white flag was hoisted, the drums beat a parley, 
and an officer was sent out with the proposed terms of capi- 
tulation ; which were ultimately amended and agreed to. 
By the second Article of the Treaty, " in consideration of the 
" constancy and valour with which General Murray and his 
" garrison have behaved by their brave defence, they shall 
" be permitted to march out with shouldered arms, drums 
" beating, matches lighted, and colours flying, until they get 
" towards the centre of the Spanish troops." This was done 
at noon on the following day, between two lines of the Spanish 
and French troops. So pitiable and deplorable was the ap- 
pearance of the handful of men who marched o\it ibka.^ \»W 



296 Port Mation. Chap. XXVI. 

conqnerors are said to have shed tears as they looked at them. 
In the official report of General Murray, he allndos to this, 
saying that the Duke de Crillon averred it to be true. When 
the men laid down their arms, they declared that they sur- 
rendered them to God alone, " having the consolation that 
" the victors could not plume themselves upon taking a 
"hospital." 

Captain Schalch was the senior officer of Artillery left to 
march out at the head of the dwindled and crippled remnant 
of the three companies. Of them, and their comrades of the 
other arms, the Governor said in a final General Order, dated 
at Mahon, 28th February, 1782, that he had not words to 
express his admiration of their brave behaviour ; and that 
while he lived he should be proud of calling himself the 
father of such distinguished officers and soldiers as he had 
had the honour to command. 

So ended the Train of Artillery for Port Mahon, which 
the reader will remember was one of those quoted in 1716 
as a reason for some permanent force of Artillery at home. 
Since 1709, with a short interval in the time of the Seven 
Years' War, a train had remained in Minorca ; but now, over- 
powered by numbers, the force of which it was a part had to 
evacuate the island. It was a stirring time for the Foreign 
establishments, as* they were called in pre-regimental days : 
that in Gibraltar was earning for itself an immortal name ; 
those in America were within the clouds of smoke and war 
which covered the whole continent ; and this one had just 
been compelled to die hard. Of the four, which were used 
as arguments for the creation of the Boyal Begiment of 
Artillery, only one remains at this day — that at Gibraltar. 
Those at Annapolis and Placentia have varnished before the 
breath of economy, and the dawn of a new colonial system ; 
and in this brief chapter may be learnt the end of the other, 
the Train of Artillery for service at Port Mahon. 

N.B. It is worthy of mention, that during this siege, three non-comniis- 
siuned officers, Sergeants-Major J. Swainc, J. Shand, and J. Kostrow, wcro 
commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the Regiment, by the Governor, 
for their gallantry. They wore afterwards posted to the Invalid Battalion. 



( 





/ 
CHAPTER XXV 

The American War op Independence. 

rpHERE are few campaigns in English history which 
^ have been more systematically misunderstood, and 
more deliberately ignored, than the American War between 
1775 and 1783. The disadvantages under which the British 
troops laboured were many and great ; they were not merely 
local, as in most English wars, but were magnified and in- 
tensified by the unpopularity of the campaign at home, by 
the positive hostility of a largo party, including some of the 
most eloquent politicians, and by the inflated statements of 
the Government, which made the tale of disaster — when it 
came to be known — more irritating and intolerable. 

Soldiers will fight for a nation which is in earnest : British 
soldiers will even fight when they are merely the police 
to execute the wishes of a Government, instead of a people. 
But in the one case they are fired with enthusiasm, — in the 
other, their prompter is the coldest duty. 

The American War was at once unpopular and unsuccess- 
ful. When it- was over, the nation seemed inspired by a 
longing to forget it ; it was associated in their minds with 
everything that was unpleasant ; and the labour of searching 
for the points in it which were worthy of being treasured 
was not appreciated. English historians have always been 
reluctant to pen the pages of their country's disasters ; and 
their silence is at once characteristic of, and thoroughly 
understood by, the English people. There has, however, been 
a species of self-denying ordinance laid down by English 
writers, and spouted ad nauseam by English speakers, in 
which the whole blame of this war is accepted almost greedily 
and its losses painted in heightened colours as the legitimate 
consequences of national error. England ivas to blame — 
taxation without representation undoubtedly is unjust ; but 



298 War of Independence. Chap. XXVI I. 



were American motives at the outset pure ? It may readily 
be granted that after the first shedding of blood the resist- 
ance of the colonists was prompted by a keen sense of injury 
such as might well animate a free and high-spirited people ; 
but, before the sword was drawn, the motives of the Boston 
recusants no more deserve to be called worthy, than the 
policy of England deserves to be called statesmanship. 

England, with the name, had also the responsibilities of 
a mighty and extended empire. Her colonies had the name 
and the advantages, without the responsibilities. The parent 
was sorely pressed and heavily taxed, to protect the children ; 
the children were becoming so strong and rich that they 
might well be expected to do something for themselves. 
The question was " How ?" It is only just to say that when 
the answer to the question involved the defence of their own 
soil by their own right hand, no more eager assistants to the 
Empire could be found than our American colonists. But 
when they were asked to look beyond their own shores, to con- 
tribute their share to the maintenance of the Empire elsewhere 
— perhaps no bad way of ensuring increased security for them- 
selves — the answer was " No !" They would shed their blood 
in defence of their own plot of ground ; but they would not 
open their purses to assist the general welfare of the Empire. 

The colonial diflSculty in more recent times has been met 
by presenting to the colonies the liberty desired by the old 
American provinces, but at the same time throwing on them to 
a great extent the duty of their own defence. It is a mere 
suspension of the diflSculty, well enough in theory, but which 
must break down in practice. While the parent has the sole 
power of declaring war, and of involving in its area distant 
children, innocent and ignorant of the cause, she can no 
more throw off the duty of their defence than she can bury 
herself beneath the waves that chafe her coasts. But, for 
the present, it affords a tolerable compromise. In the 
future, unless our rulers can spare time from the discussion 
of such petty measures as the Ballot, for the consideration 
of a question which involves the national existence, the 
Colonial Question is as certain again to face us as a difficulty, 



Chap. XXVII. Dissatisfaction in the Colonies. 299 

as it did in 1775. Then, the system which seemed most 
natural to the rulers of England was to accept the duty of the 
Empire's defence, but to insist on the colonies contributing 
to the cost. Unwise as this step was, the colonies being 
unrepresented in the Taxing Body, it might have been borne, 
had it not interfered with certain vested, although ignoble 
rights. The collection of the new revenue required imperial 
cruisers to enforce it: and these vessels sorely interfered 
with the habits and customs of the merchants of Massa- 
chusetts, who were the most systematic smugglers. With 
what petty matters are the beginnings of great revolutions 
entwined ! The sensuality of Henry VIII. was a means to 
the religious reformation of England : the selfishness of the 
Boston traders was the note which raised in America the 
thirst for independence. It is an easy thing to raise a cry 
which shall at once carry with it the populace, and yet smo- 
ther the real issues. And this was done in Boston. Up to 
the commencement of military operations, it is difficult to 
say which is the least enticing subject for contemplation, the 
blind, unreasoning, unaccommodating temper of the English 
Government, or the selfish, partisan, ignoble motives of those 
who were really the prime movers of the Eevolution, although 
soon dwarfed and put out of sight by the Frankenstein 
which their cunning had called into existence. It is almost 
a relief to the student, when the sword is drawn: he has 
then to deal with men, not schemers ; he has then pictures 
to gaze at of an earnest people fighting for independence, 
or, on the other hand, an outnumbered army fighting 
for duty ; and he has then such figures to worship as that 
purest and noblest in history, George Washington, for the 
proper revelation of whose character the losses of that war's 
continuance may be counted to all time as a clear gain. 
What a grim satire it reads as one finds this god-liko man a 
puppet in the hands of those who were as incapable of under- 
standing his greatness as of wielding his sword ! Wellington 
in Spain, worried by departmental idiocy in England, was an 
object of pity, but his troubles are dwarfed by those under 
which a weaker man than Washington would have resigned 



300 War of Independence. Chap. XXVll. 



in disgust. It is pleasant to read of the gallant way in which 
the Royal Artillery acquitted itself in the American War : 
but no encomium from an English General has greater value 
than that of Washington, who urged his own Artillery to 
emulate that of his enemy : and in all the satisfaction which 
such praise from Washington, as an enemy, must beget, there 
is mingled a feeling of pride that it should have been in a 
school of war, where Washington was a comrade, instead of 
an enemy, that ho bad taken the first lessons in the science 
of which he proved so great a master. 

It is to be regretted that the silence of the one country's 
historians on the subject of the American War is not com- 
pensated by the undoubted loquacity and grandiloquence of 
the other's. The student is equally baffled by the former, 
and bewildered by the latter. Perhaps the pride and boasting 
of the young country is natural : perhaps it was to be ex- 
pected that ere long the fact would be forgotten that with- 
out the assistance of France and Spain to distract England, 
their independence could never have been achieved; but 
when coupled with this forgetfulness, comes an exaggeration 
of petty encounters into high-sounding battles, and of 
defeats like that of Bunker's Hill into something like 
victories, to be celebrated by national monuments, the 
student may smile complacently at the enthusiasm of the 
conquerors, but must regret the dust which is thrown in his 
eyes by their boasting and party-feeling. 

There are fortunately two comparatively temperate writers, 
who were contemporary with the war, and took part in it on 
opposite sides, Stedman and Lee, — the latter being the 
officer who commanded the celebrated Partisan Legion (as it 
was called), on the American side ; and in endeavouring to 
arrive at the truth as to the war, the student cannot do 
better than adhere to them. 

The war, like the siege of Gibraltar, divides itself into 
epochs. The first, and most northerly, embraces Massachu- 
setts and Canada ; the second concentrates itself round New 
York, with the episode of Saratoga ; and the third and last, 
derives its main interest from the operations in the South, 



Chap. XXVI I. Commencement of Hostilities. 30 1 

cnlminating in the disastrous capitulation of Yorktown. 
In tracing the services of the Artillery during the various 
stages, we shall have a glimpse of nearly every operation of 
importance which occurred during the war. 

Although the 4th Battalion was not the only representa- 
tive of the Eoyal Artillery in America during the war — the 
1st and 3rd Battalions also being represented — its com- 
manding officers, Colonels Gleaveland and Pattison, who 
served on the Staff of the Army as Brigadiers, were in 
command of the Artillery on the Continent ; and, therefore, 
in tracing the services of the corps, the records of the 
4th Battalion form the best groundwork. When hostilities 
commenced, in Massachusetts, the head-quarters of the bat- 
talion were in Boston. Greneral Gage, who commanded 
the troops, had failed to conciliate the colonial representa- 
tives. On the 25th February, 1775, he sent a party of 
infantry and marines to seize some guns which he under- 
stood were in the town of Salem ; but on their arrival, they 
found that the guns had been removed. On the evening of the 
18th April, in the same year, he sent a similar body — about 
900 strong — to the town of Concord on a like errand, and 
here the first blood of the war was shed. Great mismanage- 
ment was displayed on the part of the English commander, 
and a very decided hostility on the part of the colonists, 
ultimately rendering a retreat necessary. The troops com- 
menced retiring on Lexington, under an incessant, although 
irregular fire from the militia and peasantry; and luckily, on 
their arrival at that town, they met a reinforcement under 
Lord Percy, sent to their assistance, and accompanied by 
two field-guns. This was the first appearance of the Eoyal 
Artillery in the war. Under the fire of the guns, the troops 
were able to continue their retreat comparatively unmo- 
lested ; but before they reached Boston, they had sustained 
a loss of no less than 273 killed, wounded, and prisoners. 
This number was considered sufficient to justify the 
Americans in honouring the conflicts which occurred, by the 
high-sounding titles of the "Battles of Concord and Lex- 
"ington." Effective as the fire of the English gana ^^^^ 



3 o 2 War of Independence. Chap. XX V 1 1 . 

complaints were made, probably in self-defence, bjr the com- 
manding officer of the troops, that the Artillery were inade- 
quately supplied with ammunition on the occasion. A 
strong remonstrance was immediately addressed by Colonel 
Cleayeland to the Master-General of the Ordnance, stating 
the true facts. '* I find it has been said in England, that 
"ammunition was wanting for the two guns which went 
"with the Brigade to Lexington — that they had only 24 
" rounds per gun. I had a waggon with 140 rounds on the 
" parade, and Lord Percy refused to take it, saying it might 
" retard their march, and that he did not imagine there would 
" be any occasion for more than was on the side boxes." * 

On the 17th June, 1775, the Battle of Bunker's Hill, as it 
is called, although Breed's Hill was the real scene of opera- 
tions, (Bunker's Hill, which was intended to be fortified, 
being considerably more distant from Boston,) was fought ; 
and in the batteries on Cop's Hill, and with the guns 
actually on the field, five companies of the 4th Battalion 
were present — Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8. Eight field-guns were 
actually in action ; but twelve accompanied the attacking 
force — four light 12-pounder8, four 5i^-inch howitzers, and 
four light 6-pounders. The attack was made under the fire 
of the guns, " The troops advancing slowly, and halting at 
"intervals to give time for the Artillery to produce some 
" effect." ^ In these words, the recently exploded traditions 
are apparent, which wedded the Artillery to the infantry 
during an engagement, instead of allowing it independent 
action. One statement is made by Stedman, generally a 
most accurate writer, which it is difficult to reconcile with 
Colonel Cleaveland's official report. " During the engage- 
"ment," writes the former, "a supply of ball for the 
"Artillery, sent from the Ordnance Department in Boston, 
"was found to bo of larger dimensions than fitted the 
"calibres of the field-pieces that accompanied the detach- 
" ment; an oversight which prevented the further use of the 
" Artillery." Li opposition to this statement, Colonel Cleave- 



» MSS. R. A. Record Office. « Stedman. 



Chap. XXVII. Battle of Btinkers Hill. 303 

land's report to the Master-General may be quoted. "At 
" Bunker's Hill, I sent sixty-six rounds to each gun, and not 
" more than half was fired." * Had the reason been that 
given by Stedman, Colonel Cleaveland was too truthful a 
man to omit mentioning it. The Battle of Bunker's Hill 
was the Inkermann of the American War. The British lost 
1054 killed and wounded ; the enemy admitted a loss of 449. 
The latter had the advantage of an elevated and entrenched 
position ; the former fought in heavy marching order — on a 
hot summer day — and had to ascend a steep hill in the face 
of a heavy and continuous fire. The loss fell most heavily 
on those who met hand to hand ; the Artillery met with but 
little casualty. According to the 4th Battalion records, 
Captain-Lieutenant Lemoine, Lieutenant Shuttleworth, and 
nine matrosses were wounded ; according to Colonel Cleave- 
land's MSS., this number was increased by Captain Huddle- 
stone, whom he includes among the wounded. 

The English plan of attack was faulty, and the defence of 
the Americans was admirable; but these facts merely ren- 
dered the victory of the English troops more creditable. 
It was a barren victory — perhaps, even, an injurious one. It 
did not save Boston from the blockade, which from this day 
became more thorough, and it certainly encouraged the 
American militia, who found with what effect they could 
fight against those regular troops from whom they had 
hitherto shrunk a little, with a species of superstitious dread. 

But it was not the less a complete victory, a soldiers' 
victory, by sheer hard and close fighting ; and, even more, an 
oflScers' victory — for at one time nothing but the energy 
and gallantry of the officers would have rallied the troops, 
reeling under a tremendous fire. 

In the meantime, the rebels or patriots, as they were 
called respectively by enemies and friends, resolved to in- 
vade Canada. Nos. 3 and 6 Companies of the 4th Battalion 
were scattered over the provinces, and on the lakes, in de- 
tachments. On the 3rd May, 1775, a small body of the 



MSS. R. A. Record OflBce. 



304 War 0/ Independence. Chap. XXVII. 

Americans, (who had already possessed themselves of- artil- 
lery,) attacked with success Crown Point and Ticonderoga. 
In November, the posts of Ghambly and St. John were also 
taken, and with the exception of one officer and eight men, 
the whole of No. 6 Company was now captive, and re- 
mained so until exchanged on the 7th April, 1777. Two 
men belonging to the company were killed at St. John. The 
capture of these posts placed at the disposal of the Americans 
a quantity of guns, ammunition, and stores, of which they 
had stood sorely in need : and the supply was largely in- 
creased by the fortunate capture of an ordnance transport 
from Woolwich, heavily laden with a valuable cargo. 

On the 25th September, an ill-judged and unsuccessful 
attack was made on Montreal by a small force of rebels, in 
which their commander was taken prisoner ; but later in 
the year — a more formidable demonstration being made 
by a force under General Montgomery — the Commandant, 
General Carle ton, withdrew to Quebec : and Montreal fell 
into the enemy's hands. Part of No. 3 Company was made 
prisoner on this occasion. 

The siege of Quebec was the next episode in the Canadian 
part of the war. It was totally unsuccessful; and the 
gallant commander of the Americans — General Montgomery, 
who had fought under Wolfe at the same place— was killed. 
The Artillery present in Quebec belonged to No. 3 Com- 
pany, 4th Battalion; but they were very few in number. 
They were under the command of Captain Jones, whose 
services on the occasion received the highest praise. A sort 
of blockade of the town was kept up by General Mont- 
gomery's successor — Arnold, — but it was indifferently con- 
ducted; and as soon as a man-of-war was able to get up 
through the ice. General Carleton sallied out and routed the 
American forces in a most thorough manjier. Very little 
more was done in Canada during the war. The loyalty of 
the inhabitants was unmistakable; and it cannot fail to 
surprise one who remembers for how very brief a time the 
French Canadians had been under British rule. Even later 
in the war, when the French fleet came to render active 



Chap. XXVII. Loyalty of Canada. 305 

assistance to the Americans, and the Admiral appealed to 
the French colonists to rise, his appeal was nnsnccessfal. 
Either the British rule had already become popular, because, 
on the whole, kind and just ; or the sympathies of the 
French Canadians — although, perhaps, not with the English 
— were still more averse from the American cause, which 
was associated in their minds with the old New England 
enemies who had waged with them such an incessant 
border-warfare. The loyalty of Canada is one of the 
marvels of English history. It seems unalienable, as it 
certainly is unselfish. Tested, sixteen years after its con- 
quest, by the great American War; and again in the present 
century by the second American War; tried sorely by a 
too paternal Colonial Office, which retarded its advancement, 
its hindrance made all the more plain by the spectacle, 
across the frontier, of the American Bepublic attaining a 
marvellous wealth and development ; exposed to risk from 
enemies whom it did not know, and in quarrels in which it 
had no share, merely on account of its connection with 
England; suflfering, without indemnity, loss of life and of 
treasure by invasion from lawless banditti, who thought to 
strike England through her dependency ; chilled by neglect, 
and depressed by words which, if they h*ad any meaning at 
all, insinuated that she was a burden to the parent, and half 
suggested to her to take her leave, and to quit the Empire of 
which she had been so staunch a member; — tested, tried, 
endangered, suflfering, and neglected, the loyalty of Canada 
remains undimmed. It is, as has been said, a marvel ! Let 
England take heed that she do not underrate this treasure 
of a people's tried affection. 

In the meantime, while Canada had been invaded by the 
rebels, their army, under Washington, had gradually sur- 
rounded Boston, and established a very thorough blockade — 
causing great hardship and suflfering to the troops. On the 
2nd and 3rd of March, 1776, they established batteries to 
the cast and west of the town, which the Boyal Artillery 
vainly endeavoured for fourteen days to silence ; and ulti- 
mately it was decided to evacuate Bo^toii, wifti \^\At^ V^ 

VOL, I, ^ 



3o6 War of Independence. Chap. XXVII. 

Halifax, Nova Scotia, to prepare for an attack upon New 
York later in the year, and with large naval and military 
reinforcements from England. 

The evacuation of Boston was conducted in good order, 
and without loss. Washington ceased firing on the troops, 
on receiving notice from the English general — Howe — that 
if the bombardment continued, he would set fire to the town, 
to cover his retreat ; and the men, guns, and stores, were 
placed on board the transports with regularity, and without 
interruption — but not without great labour. Colonel Cleave- 
land reported to the Board of Ordnance, that on the evening 
of the 6th March, 1776, he had received orders to use every 
despatch to embark the Artillery and stores. " The trans- 
" ports for the cannon, &c., which were ordered to the wharf, 
''were without a sailor on board, and half stowed with 
"lumber. At the same time, most of my heavy cannon, 
" and all the Field Artillery, with a great quantity of ammu- 
" nition, was to be brought in from Charleston, and other 
" distant posts. I was also obliged to send iron ordnance to 
'' supply their places, to keep up a fire on the enemy, and 
" prevent their breaking ground on Forster Hill. On the 
" fifth day, most of the stores were on board, with the ex- 
" ception of four iron mortars and their beds, weighing near 
"six tons each. With great diflSculty I brought three of 
" them from the battery, but on getting them on board the 
" transport, the blocks gave way, and a mortar fell into the 
" sea, where I afterwards threw the other two. * * 
" * Two of my transports were manned with four 
" marines, and a few Artillery, who understand something 
" of sailing." The guns which were left in the town were 
the oldest, and were left for use, if necessary, in covering 
the final embarkation of the troops. One hundred and fifty 
vessels were employed in transporting the army and its 
stores to Halifax ; and with the army were Nos. 1, 2, 4, 
5, and 8 Companies of the 4th Battalion, Boyal Artillery, 
under Colonel Cleaveland, who, having recently received the 
Army rank of Colonel, received also now the local rank of 
Brigadier. During the last few months of his stay in 



Chap. XXVII. Reinforcements. 307 

Boston, he had been mnch occupied in planning the Artillery 
share in the coming summer campaign, and in making the 
necessary demands on the authorities at home. He obtained 
permission to purchase 700 horses at Halifax and Annapolis ; 
and a remonstrance made by him about the " wretches whom 
" he had to hire as drivers " at two shillings per day, suc- 
ceeded in procuring for him a draft of trained drivers from 
England. Four companies of the 3rd Battalion had joined 
before he left Boston, but not before he was sorely in need 
of their services, for he literally had not a relief for the men 
whom he had to keep constantly on duty. Two more com- 
panies were ordered from England to the South; four 
companies under Colonel Phillips were ordered to Canada, to 
take part ultimately in Burgoyne's wild expedition ; and two 
more were embarked for service along the coast in bomb- 
vessels. A large number of 3-pounders, mounted on wheel- 
carriages devised by Captain Congreve, had arrived, and a 
larger number was promised. They were found infinitely more 
convenient than those Colonel Cleaveland already had, and 
arranged so as to be carried on the backs of horses and mules. 
Captain Congreve's ingenuity displayed itself in many ways, 
and called forth repeated expressions and letters of praise 
and commendation from Colonel Cleaveland. Doubtless the 
favourable reports made by that officer did much to pro- 
cure for him — in 1778— from Lord Townsend, then Master- 
General of the Ordnance, the new appointment of Founder 
and Commandant of the Boyal Military Bepository. The 
grounds attached to that institution are now used solely 
for instruction in the management of heavy ordnance, but 
when it was first opened, the sharp turns and steep inclines 
in the roads of the Bepository Grounds were made use of 
in training the drivers to turn and manage their horses. 
Captain Congreve — afterwards Sir William Congreve — was 
a very distinguished and able Artillery officer, but it was 
not he, but his son, who invented the well-known Congreve 
rocket. 

The officer who went in command of the companies of 
Artillery ordered for service in the SoutVi -^^a'^^yst 'Vra^^'?^^ 



3o8 War of Independence. Chap. XXVII. 

an officer who commenced his career as a matross, and ended 
it as Commandant of the Invalid Battalion in 1783. 

Colonel James commanded the detachments on board the 
bombs, and was much praised for the accuracy of his fire 
at the unsuccessful attack on Fort Sullivan, near Charles- 
town, South Carolina, in June, 1776. He also commenced 
his career as a matross — in the year 1738 — and died as a 
Colonel Commandant, in 1782. 

Several cadets were sent out to fill vacancies as they might 
occur, instead of promoting non-commissioned officers. While 
doing 'duty, awaiting these vacancies, they received pay as 
Second Lieutenants. 

Among the guns sent out for the campaign of 1776 were 
some light 24-pounders with travelling carriages, some 12- 
pounders, an immense number of light 3-pounders with 
Congreve's carriages, and some mortars for pound-shot. It 
was intended by the English Government, that this cam- 
paign should be decisive ; and the fleet, army, and Artillery 
were very powerful. Lord Howe commanded the fleet, and 
his brother commanded the army ; and they had full powers 
to treat with the rebels with a view to a cessation of hos- 
tilities, provided they should submit. The army left Halifax 
in June, 1776, and landed on Staten Island on the 3rd July ; 
the whole of the Artillery being disembarked by the 7th of 
the month. Here they were joined by Sir Henry Clinton's 
forces from the South, and by Lord Howe and his fleet 
from England. A large force of Hessians and Waldeckers 
also joined them ; and on the 22nd August, the army crossed 
to Long Island without molestation. The Americans were 
encamped at the north end of the island, where the city of 
Brooklyn now stands— protected behind by batteries, on the 
left by East Kiver, and on the right by a marsh. A range 
of wooded hills separated the two armies, the passes being 
in the possession of the rebels. On the 27th, the Battle 
of Long Island — or Battle of Brooklyn, as it is indifferently 
called — was fought. The share taken by the Artillery in 
this victory, was — owing to the nature of the ground, and 
the hurried retreat of the Americans within their lines — 



Chap. XXVII. Omission of Sir Wm. Howe. 309 

but small. There were forty guns present : six with Lord 
Cornwallis's brigade ; fourteen with General Clinton in the 
van ; ten with the main body under Lord Percy ; and four 
12-pounders with the 49th Kegiment in rear. The loss 
consisted of but three killed — Lieutenant Lovell, a sergeant, 
and a bombardier. So diflScult were the 3-pounder guns on 
truck carriages found either to be moved or carried, that 
Brigadier Cleaveland sent them on board ship, and replaced 
them with those mounted on Congreve's carriages. From 
the loyalist farmers on Long Island, an additional hundred 
horses were bought for the Artillery, and eighty two-horse 
waggons, with drivers, hired for the conveyance of ammuni- 
tion and stores. 

One of the greatest blots on Sir William Howe's general- 
ship was his omission to follow up the victory he won on 
Long Island. Had he done so, his troops being flushed with 
victory, and the enemy being disheartened and disunited, it 
is possible that he might have put an end to the war. By 
means of his apathy or neglect, Washington's troops were 
able to cross over to New York unmolested. Before attack- 
ing New York, the English commander considered it desir- 
able to destroy a very strong redoubt, at a place called Hell 
Gate, mounted with a considerable number of guns to pre- 
vent communication, should it be attempted by the British 
troops, from the East Kiver into the Sound. Four batteries 
were accordingly erected by the Royal Artillery on the op- 
posite shore, mounting three 24-pounders, three heavy and 
three medium 12-pounders, and ten small mortars. As it 
eventually happened, the landing of the British in New 
York was made at a spot where the Hell Gate redoubt would 
have been useless ; but it was satisfactory to find, on enter- 
ing it afterwards, the enemy's guns dismounted, and the 
works so shattered, that the troops might have marched in 
with little or no impediment. In the Brigadier s report on 
this occasion, he said, " The distance was near 700 yards, 
" and though the enemy threw a number of shells from six 
" mortars, we had only on this occasion two men killed, and 
'' one lost an arm. It is with infinite satisfaction that I<^<^yl 



3 1 o War of hidependence. Chap. XXVI I . 

" say, that whenever the Artillery is employed, they have 
" not only the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief, but 
" the whole army, for their behaviour." 

The British landed on Manhattan Island, under the fire of 
the ships ; and in the precipitate retreat to the heights of 
Haarlem, the Americans lost their artillery, and many stores, 
and Washington nearly despaired of ever succeeding with 
such troops as he had under his command. But it was not 
enough to obtain possession of New York, unless the rebel 
forces could be dislodged from the powerful position they 
occupied in the north of the island ; and to do this, an en- 
gagement on no small scale was necessary, and was com- 
menced on the 27th October, 1776. Its opening was called 
the Battle of the White Plains; and viewing it from the 
Artillery point of view, it may be described as follows (bear- 
ing in mind that it was only the opening scene of a series of 
engagements, all intimately connected, and resulting in the 
scattering of Washington's forces, their expulsion from New 
York Island, and almost from the Jerseys ; the capture of 
Forts Washington and Lee, and the complete command of 
the Lower Hudson) : — The attack of the 27th October on the 
White Plains commenced with a cannonade on the enemy's 
left wing, with nearly thirty guns, manned by the Boyal 
Artillery. On the 28th, the attack of the Hessian troops 
was covered by six light 12-pounders ; and General Knyp- 
hausen publicly thanked the officers and men who were 
attached to them. In the attack on Fort Washington in the 
beginning of November, the Boyal Artillery had thirty-four 
guns in action to cover the troops. The Guards and Light 
Infantry who were engaged in the attack crossed the East 
Biver in boats under the protection of batteries erected for the 
purpose. The hill they had to ascend from their landing 
was exceedingly rugged and steep, and the boats in which 
they crossed were exposed to the fire of two of the American 
batteries. To silence these, the batteries above-mentioned 
were built, and armed with four medium 12-pounders, four- 
teen light 6-pounders, four howitzers, and two mortars. 
With this armament, the rebel fire was soon silenced, with 



Chap. XXVII. Capture of Fort Washington^ 3 1 1 

the exception of one 3-ponnder, which was sheltered by a 
rock, and which did censiderable damage. A battalion of 
the rebel forces which was marching for the defence of the 
hill was also entirely broken and dispersed by the well- 
directed fire of the Royal Artillery, under which the Guards 
and Light Infantry landed, and gained the hill without 
losing a man. The 42nd Begiment, which landed at another 
place, was covered by four 6-pounders; and six guns ad- 
vanced with Lord Percy, from the lines at New York, and 
gained the heights of Haarlem, every gun being engaged. 
Li this attack, the Artillery is described as having been 
powerful and well-served ; officers and men received public 
acknowledgment in General Orders, and from the Master- 
General; and in answering the latter's commendations, 
Brigadier Cleaveland felt justified in saying : " The officers 
'' and men under my command have shown an unwearied 
" application to the service, and deserve everything I can say 
" in their favour. ♦ ♦ ♦ jj^^ go^^ opinion your 
" Lordship is pleased to form of the conduct and superior 
" abilities of the British Artillery when engaged, does them 
" the highest honour, and I have the pleasure to inform your 
^' Lordship, that both officers and men have been emulous 
" during the course of the campaign in deserving it." 

The attack on the fort was too powerful to be resisted ; so 
it capitulated. Lord Cornwallis, with a large body of men 
immediately crossed the North Eiver, to attack Fort Lee, 
but it was abandoned by its garrison on the 18th November, 
and all the guns and stores fell into the hands of the 
English. 

The English now overran the Jerseys, and the following 
guns were present with the Eoyal Artillery during the raid : 
four light 12-pounders, fourteen 6-pounders,' eight 3- 
pounders, and two 5J-inch howitzers. This was a very 
critical period for the American cause, almost as much so as 
after the Battle of Long Island. '' During these operations, 
** the New York Convention was greatly alarmed lest the 
'*• numerous forces (2.6. loyalists) of the State should rise 
" in arms, and openly join the British forces. Often obli^4 



312 War of Independence. Chap, xxvil. 

" by the movements of the armies to change its locality, that 
" body sat successively at Haarlem, King's Bridge, Philip's 
" Manor, Croton Eiver, and" Fishkill ; some of the time, to 
" guard against surprise, with arms in their hands. A com- 
" mittee was appointed for inquiring into, detecting, and 
" defeating conspiracies. That committee had funds at its 
" disposal, a special armed force, and unlimited powers. 
" Many Tories were seized by its orders and sent into C!on- 
" necticut for safe-keeping, their personal property being 
" forfeited to the use of the State. ♦ ♦ ♦ Some 
" of the New York Militia (in Washington's camp) refused 
" to do duty. They were offered — they said — peace, liberty, 
" and safety, and what more could they ask."^ While not 
underrating the energy of a people who could attain their 
end in spite of such difficulties, it is healthy reading occa- 
sionally, in the midst of flabby orations as to the uprising 
of a united people, to examine passages like that just 
quoted. A large substratum of loyalty existed yet, which 
had to be kept down by a sort of reign of terror ; and al- 
though, as we shall see, the loyal diminished greatly in 
numbers as the war went on, the fact remains that the re- 
bellion was not a national conception, but a party manoeuvre, 
which secured by dexterous management the assistance 
of many pure and noble men, and ultimately — assisted by 
war — received the co-operation of the mass of the people. 
The war bound the people together by an instinct of self- 
defence, apart from the reasons which had brought it about ; 
and once committed to a cause, men are as ingenious in 
inventing, often unconsciously, arguments in its favour, as 
they are enthusiastic in defending their opinions. 

The gloom of the American cause in the end of 1776 was 
brightened by a surprise of some German troops at Trenton, 
by Washington, who took the whole prisoners, to the 
number of about 1000. This success did much to re-animate 
the rebels, and gave a new life to their prosecution of the war. 

The year 1777 was destined to be the most eventful year 

* Hildreth's * History of the United States.' 



ii 
ii 



Chap. XXVII. Action at Princeton. 3 1 3 

of the whole campaign. The British had formed a plan, 
whose aim was as good as its execution was foolish. Prior, 
however, to its commencement, Washington made an attack 
on two regiments, the 17th and 55th, near Princeton, which 
is described in Brigadier Cleaveland's despatch to the Board 
of Ordnance in the following words : — " The most particular 
" action that has happened since Washington's recrossing 
" the Delaware, was an attack made by him with 4G00 men, 
" upon the Battalion of the 17th Eegiment at Princeton, in 
" which action the 17th has gained great honour, and their 
" Lieutenant-Colonel, Mawhood, great reputation. The heavy 
" fire of the enemy at the first of the attack obliged the 
" Eegiment to retire, under cover of four 6-pounders advan- 
tageously posted. Here the Regiment formed, and made a 
general charge upon the enemy, whom they forced wher- 
ever they advanced, leaving a piece of cannon behind them. 
" Colonel Mawhood observing the enemy increasing greatly 
" in their numbers, thought proper to march from Princeton, 
" where we were obliged to leave two 6-pounders, all the 
" horses belonging to the guns being shot, and the axletree 
" of the other carriage broke by firing." At this affair, 
Lieutenant Desaguliers, and nine men of the Boyal Artillery 
were killed. These active movements of Washington had 
the effect of making both General Howe and Lord Corn- 
wallis withdraw their forces from Trenton and Princeton, 
and spend the rest of the winter near New York, — on Long 
Island, and in the neighbouring parts of New Jersey. 

The plan of operations formed by the British Commanders 
under instructions from home is well and succinctly de- 
scribed by the American writer, Lee : " It contemplated the 
'^ annihilation of resistance in all the country between 
*' the Lakes and Albany ; undisturbed possession of the 
" Hudson River (thus severing the Union), and the conquest 
" of Pennsylvania, whose capital (Philadelphia) was the me- 
" tropolis of the American States." To carry out this plan, 
it was resolved that one British army should march from 
Canada, and another from New York, whose meeting would 
complete the separation of the Eastern from th:^ 'W^'^^j^tvl 



3 1 4 War of Independence. Chap. XXVI I. 

States, north of New York. Two blunders were committed 
in this scheme. The first was the appointment of General 
Bnrgoyne to command the northern force, instead of 
General Garleton, who was well acquainted with the country; 
the second was the employment of a northern army at all. 
New York was in English hands, and the mastery of the sea 
was as yet undisputed. Had New York been made the base 
of operations, and an army been sent up the Hudson, with 
its communications with New York maintained by the navy, 
the separation of the States would have been assured. But 
when General Burgoyne with his 7000 men left Canada, 
and plunged into the American forest, he cut his communi- 
cations with the base of his operations, and his case became 
more hopeless every mile he advanced. That it was not want 
of gallantry, but infamous strategy, which brought on the 
Sedan-like Convention of Saratoga, may be seen by the most 
cursory study, and is eloquently acknowledged in the follow- 
ing words by Lee, who, though an enemy, was not blind to 
the courage of his opponents : — "Where is the General who 
" ever more prodigally risked his life in his country's cause, 
" than the unfortunate Burgoyne ? Where the army which 
more bravely executed its leader's will, than did that 
which he conducted ? What danger was avoided ? What 
" effort unessayed ? What privation not submitted to ? 
" What difficulties not encountered ? But all terminated in 
" disaster ; and the army, from whose prowess so much was 
" expected, yielded to its equal in courage, to its superior in 
" number." The American army, under General Gates, was 
a little over. 13,000 strong ; Burgoyne's force did not exceed 
5700 at the date of the capitulation. 

The interest to the Artilleryman, in the details of this 
expedition, is unaffected by its disastrous termination. From 
commencement to termination, order-books,^ despatches, and 
regimental records, speak in terms of enthusiasm of the 






^ During rocent researches in America, the author found an old order- 
book taken by the Americans when Burgoyne surrendered, containing the 
most favourable notices of the Koyal Artillery under his command. 



Chap. XXVI I. Battle of Stillwater. 315 

courage of the Artillery, and their gallant commander — 
Major-General Phillips — who, although only a Eegimental 
Major, held the higher Army rank by brevet, and was second 
in command of the whole force. Of the service of the 
Artillery at the Battle of Stillwater, Oust, in his * Annals of 
the Wars/ writes, " The Artillery did wonders ;" — and of the 
retreat of the 7th October, the same author says, '^ Phillips 
" and Riedesel were now ordered to cover the retreat, and the 
" troops retired, hard pressed, but in good order ; the Artil- 
" lery, under Major Williams, doing good execution, but aU 
"the horses having been disabled, six of the guns were 
"obliged to be abandoned." Stedman, in his account of 
the Battle of Stillwater, says, " During the action, Major- 
" General Phillips contrived to convey through a thick part 
" of the wood, some British Artillery, which was of essential 
" service. Captain Jones of this corps, who fell in this 
"action, was particularly distinguished." But the most 
valuable comment is that made by General Phillips himself, 
after the termination of the campaign ; in a report made 
by him from Albany on the 22nd October, 1777, to Lords 
Townsend and Amherst. "I have to report to you, my 
" Lords, that the Corps of Artillery which I commanded has 
" acted during the campaign with the greatest spirit, and 
" has received the entire approbation of General Burgoyne, 
" and the applause of the army. Li the action of the 19th 
" September, the Artillery was of infinite use ; and a brigade 
" commanded by Captain Jones, with Lieutenants Hadden and 
" Beid, was particularly engaged, and maintained their post 
" to the last, although in doing of it every man, except five, 
" was either killed or wotmded. Captain Jones was killed. 

" In the aflTair of October 7th, Major Williams kept a battery 
" in action, until the Artillery horses were all destroyed, and 
" his men either killed or wounded; being unable to get off 
" their guns, he was surrounded and taken, with two officers, 
" Lieutenants York and Howorth, the latter wounded. Cap- 
" tain Blomefield, my Major of Brigade, was also wounded on 
" the 7th instant, at Major Williams' battery. I cannot suffi- 
" ciently commend the activity, zeal, and spirit ol ^^ 



3 1 6 War of Independence. Chap. XXVI I. 

" officers. The same gallant spirit remained to the last day, 
"when the Convention was signed. I had the honour to 
** deliver a message to the Lientenant-General from the 
" CJorps of Artillery, that they were as ready as ever to 
" undergo any hardships, or to undertake any difficulties, for 
" the King's service. Under this description, allow me to 
" recommend the corps to your Lordship's protection, and 
" humbly request that you will represent their conduct to 
" His Majesty." The men of the Irish Artillery, who were 
referred to in a former chapter as having taken part in the 
American War, formed part of the force under General 
Phillips, and it was to their conduct during this expedition 
that allusion was made by the Master-General in the de* 
spatch there quoted. 

The story of this disastrous expedition is short and 
simple. Having left his Canadian quarters in June, Bur- 
goyne invested Ticonderoga on the Ist July, captured it on 
the 6th, pursued the flying garrison with gunboats on the 
lakes, as well as in forced marches by land, and utterly scat- 
tered them. Leaving the lakes in the end of July, he 
marched for the Hudson ; but as he already felt the want of 
supplies, it was the 13th of September before he crossed that 
river, and took up his position at Saratoga. On the 19th 
September, the Battle of Stillwater was fought — in which 
the English were left masters of the field — the 9th, 20th, 
21st, 24th, 47th, and 62nd B^giments being engaged, and 
behaving with the greatest valour. On the 7th of October, 
a forward movement made by Burgoyne was defeated, and 
it was during his retreat on that day that— as stated above 
— ^Major Williams' battery behaved so well. Affairs were 
now desperate : the Indians were deserting, and the enemy 
increasing in numbers every day ; supplies of all sorts were 
short, nor was there any means of obtaining them; the 
actually effective British troops did not exceed 3500 ; and 
there was an opposing force, said to amount to 16,000 men : 
there was no appearance of the long-expected army from 
New York under Sir Henry Clinton ; and even if Burgoyne 
succeeded in retreating to Canada, he might greatly em- 



Chap. XXVI L Demand for Artillerymen. 317 

barrass Clinton, by enabling Gates' and Washington's armies 
to unite ; but retreat became soon impossible. At last, with 
only three days' provisions left, he opened negotiations with 
General Gates, and on the 17th the Convention was signed, 
and this wild, baseless expedition met its natural and disas- 
trous termination. 

This was the signal in Europe for action among Eng- 
land's enemies. From this day, France and Spain made 
no secret of their resolution to join the Americans; and to 
this extraneous evil was added the indignation of the Eng- 
lish people with the Government. Even those who opposed 
the war were indignant with the authorities : ready critics, 
although backward in assistance. The affair at Trenton was 
more valuable, as far as the Americans themselves were con- 
cerned: it came at a time of great depression, and re- 
animated their drooping spirits : but as far as other nations 
could judge, the surrender of Burgoyne was most im- 
portant, and decided two at least to take an active instead of 
a passive share in the war. 

But in the mean time what were the troops doing at New 
York ? And in the first place, what were Colonel Cleaveland, 
and the companies under his command, doing ? They were 
becoming sadly diminished in numbers, and the theme of 
all Colonel Cleaveland's letters was the same — a cry for more 
men from England. "The demand for Artillerymen," he 
wrote " is so great that the smallest body of infantry wish 
" not to move without them. I must therefore entreat your 
" Lordship to give us every possible addition to our Corps. 
" * * * From the small number of Artillerymen 
" in quarters, and no assistance to be had from the army, 
I am obliged to^ hire seamen to act as labourers, and find 
they do more work than any other men I can employ." 
At the very time he was writing thus, he was being 
pressed by the Commander-in-Chief to increase the number of 
guns for the field during the summer campaign; to form 
batteries of iron 24-pounders and brass 12-pounders on 
travelling carriages ; and to buy as many horses as he could, 
instead of trusting to those which were pressed for service as 






3 1 8 War of Ifidependence. Chap, xxvi I . 

required. His patience and the wants of the army being 
unable to wait for the deliberate moYements of the English 
Ordnance officials, he at last obtained permission from the 
Commander-in-Chief to enlist three hundred men in New 
York, " although," he wrote, " these will be very insufficient 
" to man the cannon for the field, — and we therefore most 
"ardently wish for more Artillery from England." He 
clothed the recruits with the last year's clothing for the 4th 
Battalion, demanding an additional supply from England in 
its room. By the correspondence of this time, it appears 
that the men had no greatcoats except a few for use on 
sentry, which were kept in the guard rooms. The severity 
of the winter made it necessary to demand a supply, as the 
men were much exposed. This appeal was made in the year 
1777, and was granted in the year 1786 — the matter having 
taken nine years to penetrate the official brain. Even then 
it was only granted in part — to the extent of ten per com- 
pany, increased two years later ^^to fifteen, as the idea 
became more comprehended by the aiuiSiDties. 

By the 1st of June, 1777, an extra suppl^^ four hundred 
horses was obtained; the batteries were all i^y> a^d by 
the middle of the month the campaign comme3||pd« ^® 
object of Sir William Howe was to draw ofi* Washin^jlp^ ^^^ 
a strong position which he held, enabling him to pre^' ^^ 
opponents from rendering assistance to Bnrgoyne, an%*^ 
from advancing on Philadelphia. Every feint was attorn^ 
without success ; and at last the British General resolve^^ 
a genuine invasion of some part south of New York, whS|j 
would compel Washington to move. During the month oj^w 
June, only one engagement of any importance took place,^^ 
at Westfield, between the British under Lord Cornwallis and 
8000 Americans under Lord Stirling, in which the latter 
were defeated with a loss of three guns. At this action, the 
detachments of Artillery who were present belonged to the 
4th Battalion. By the way, a peculiar service for the Eoyal 
Artillery to perform is mentioned by Stedman as having been 
carried out on the 6th July in this year. " The American 
" galleys were destroyed near Skenesborough during Bur- 



Chap. XXVI I. Battle of Brandywine. 3 1 9 

" goyne's expedition by Captain Carter, of the Artillery, who 
'^ commanded a Brigade of gunboais. He gaye chase, and 
'^ pursued them with such speed, that he captured several of 
" their largest galleys, and obliged them to set the remainder 
" on fire with a considerable number of their bateaux." 

On the 23rd July, 1777, Sir William Howe embarked his 
army — leaving Sir Henry Clinton in command at New York 
— and sailed for the south. Until the 22nd August he kept 
his intended destination a secret, and baffled Washington's 
speculations, but on that day news came that he had entered 
Chesapeake Bay, so the American General marched to meet 
him. On the 25th August Howe disembarked his troops, 
and marched inland. To prevent the English reaching Phila- 
delphia, the Americans who had been within a very few miles 
of their enemies, fell back, and occupied the heights beyond 
the Brandywine river. On the 11th, the English attacked 
the American position, moving in two columns, one under 
Lord Cornwallis, the other under General Knyphausen. The 
former column crossed the river at an unexpected point, and 
mounting the hill under a heavy protecting fire of Artillery 
drove the Americans into the woods. General Knyphausen 
had some severe fighting also, and ultimately succeeded in 
getting across. 

This was the Battle of Brandywine, in which the American^ 
admitted a loss of 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 prisoners, 
besides 11 pieces of Artillery. The English had 8 officers 
and 74 men killed, and a little over 400 wounded. The Boyal 
Artillery lost 5 killed, and Lieutenant Shand, 2 sergeants, and 
9 rank and file were wounded. A small engagement, equally 
favourable to the British, and in which the 42nd and 44th 

^ Begiments greatly distinguished themselves, took place on 
the 18th September, and on the 25th Lord Cornwallis took 
possession of Philadelphia. Writing from that city on the 
28th November to Lord Germaine, Sir William Howe said, 

^_ " Much credit is due to Brigadier-General Cleaveland and to 

^ " the officers and men of the Corps of Artillery." 

While in Philadelphia Brigadier Cleaveland heard that he 

^ was to be superseded by Brigadier Pattison, who had been 



320 War of Independence. Chap. XXVII. 

appointed to the 4th Battalion vice Colonel Ord, who had died 
in the preceding April. The first time that General Pattison 
is mentioned as having taken active part in the war was on the 
22nd October, 1777, when the British troops took possession 
of the Fort of Red Back — on which occasion he commanded 
the Artillery : but General Cleaveland had not ceased to do 
duty, for he commanded the Artillery at the successful attack 
on Mud Island on the 16th November, an attack which 
succeeded in " removing all the obstacles to the free naviga- 
" tion of the Delaware by the British fleet."^ 

After Lord Cornwallis had entered Philadelphia, and while 
the great body of the British troops were encamped under 
Sir William Howe, at a village called Germantown, about six 
miles from Philadelphia, Washington made a sudden attack 
upon them early in the morning of the 4th October. Although 
at first successful, it did not long continue so. Failure of 
punctual co-operation, according to Lee's account, and the 
brave stand made by the 40th Begiment, soon changed the 
current of events : and Washington was ultimately obliged 
to retire with a loss of at least 1000 killed, wounded, and 
prisoners. Li speculating on the causes of this defeat, Lee 
uses language such as few other American writers would use, 
and such as few living Americans would care to hear. But 
it is perhaps all the more valuable. " The defeat must be 
" attributed," he says, " to the yet imperfect discipline of tho^ 
" American army : to the broken spirit of the troops, who, 
from day to day, and from month to month, had been sub- 
jected to the most trying and strength-wasting privations, 
through the improvidence or inability of Government : to 
the inexperience of the tribe of generals, and to the com- 
plication of the plan of assault — a complication said to 
" have been unavoidable." 

It was before superior numbers that the British evacuated 
Boston: to superior numbers Burgoyne surrendered at 
Saratoga : and now the superiority of numbers being in the 
other direction, the Americans were defeated in every action 



Ciist. 






Chap. XXVII. Affair Ofi Provence Island. 321 

during this part of the campaign. Defeated, but, it must be 
admitted, not disheartened, for the losses round Philadelphia 
were forgotten in the blaze of triumph which accompanied 
the capitulation of Burgoyne's force ; and the growing inten- 
sity of the American feeling will be realized from a letter, 
which will be quoted in the next chapter, written in the 
very place where their losses must have been most palpably 
real. 

It was necessary to throw up field-works round the British 
camp, which after the battle of Germantown was brought 
nearer Philadelphia, and also to erect works to secure the com- 
mand of the river. The Artillerymen were largely employed 
in building and arming these ; and one of them was the scene 
of a gallant action on the part of a detachment, which is 
mentioned both by Stedman and Lee, and also appears in 
the MS. Becord Book of the 4th Battalion. According to 
the last-mentioned authority, some detachments of Nos. 4, 5, 
and 8 Companies were employed in constructing batteries on 
Provence Island, in the Delaware, for the reduction of an 
American post on Mud Island, when a party of the 10th 
Begiment, under Major Vatap, which covered the works, 
abandoned them on the advance of the enemy, and the whole 
of the guns fell into their hands, but owing to the gal- 
lantry of the detachment of Artillery, the enemy was obliged 
to retire, the guns were retaken, and the batteries again 
occupied. Stedman in telling this circumstance mentions 
that the Artillerymen were under the command of a 
subaltern, to whose gallantry the recapture of the batteries 
was due : and Lee adds, '' I believe this conduct of Major 
'' Vatap (who abandoned most shamefully the Artillery) is 
'^ the single instance of dastardly conduct among the British 
" officers during the war." 

Sir William Howe spent the winter at Philadelphia with 
his army — of which eight companies of the Boyal Artillery 
formed part. The same hesitation or dilatory disposition 
which prevented him following up his successes on Long 
Island induced him to spend many valuable months in idleness 
now. France and America had now formed ah all\»Xk$^^^sA 

VOL. I. X 



322 War of Independence, Chap. xx\'ll. 

it was very important that energetic action should he taken 
hy the British troops in America before the arrival of the 
French fleet. But the opportunity was lost hy the supineness 
of Sir William Howe ; and although he was a man who had 
endeared himself to his troops, there can he no doubt that 
when he resigned the command in May, 1778, and was 
succeeded by Sir Henry Clinton, he was replaced by one who 
was equal to him as a soldier, and far superior in energy and 
activity. The first step taken by the new commander was to 
evacuate Philadelphia, and withdraw the army to New YorL 
Every difficulty was thrown in his way by Washington, 
and a severe and indecisive engagement was fought during 
his retreat, which is known as the Battle of Monmouth or 
of Freehold C!ourt-house. Both sides claimed the victory, 
but as Clinton's movement towards New York was not 
interrupted by it, it may be inferred that he had not the 
worst of the encounter. Four companies of the Artillery 
were engaged, and their fire was true and severe : one officer. 
Lieutenant T. L. Yaughan, was killed. On the 30th June, the 
English army reached Sandyhook, where they found Lord 
Howe's fleet ; and early in July they passed over to New 
York. The conduct of the Artillery during the return from 
Philadelphia to New York may be learnt from the following 
order, issued by General Pattison : — " The very handsome and 
" obliging terms in which the General Officers and others 
" have repeatedly spoken of the appearance, discipline, and 
" good order of the Corps of Artillery, and particularly . 
" of the conduct, care and attention of all the officers who 
" have been detached with the several Brigades and Battalion 
" guns, cannot fail to be highly pleasing and satisfactory to 
" the Brigadier-General. He therefore takes this occasion 
" to give them his best thanks, and to express further his 
" entire approbation of the regularity and observance of 
" duties that have been shown by all ranks during the late 
" march, and of the cheerfulness and alacrity with which 
" they have undergone the great fatigue of it." 

During this retreat from Philadelphia, the Artillerymen 
were for the first time relieved of carrying their knapsacks 



Chap. XXVII. Other Operations in 1778. 323 

and ammtinition pouches, which were carried for them on 
the waggons. They carried their arms, except when actually 
fighting their guns, and had six cartridges in a small bag 
in their pockets. 

A short summary of the occasions in 1778, after the 
evacuation of Philadelphia, when individual Artillerymen 
distinguished themselves, may be extracted from the pages 
of that most conscientiously and laboriously written work, 
Browne's * England's Artillerymen ; ' with any requisite 
additions from other sources. 

In July, 1778, Ehode Island was attacked by the American 
General Sullivan, supported by the French fleet. The island 
was garrisoned by 50G0 British troops under Sir Kobert 
Pigott, including a company of the Koyal Artillery under 
the command of Lieut.-Colonel John Innes, an officer who, 
as has already been mentioned, commenced his career as a 
matross in 1736, and died in 1783, in command of the 
Invalid Battalion. The severe labour and exposure cheerfully 
undergone by the Artillery on this occasion were specially 
mentioned by Sir Kobert in his despatches announcing the 
total defeat of the American scheme. The loss of the 
Artillery amounted to thirty-three killed and wounded. In 
September, 1778, General Grey sailed for Bedford, to destroy 
a nest of privateers, and was accompanied by some Artillery 
under Captain Scott, who blew up the American fort. In 
November a body of troops, with a detachment of Artillery 
under Lieutenant Balph Wilson, sailed for Savannah in 
Georgia, a place which was speedily taken. From General 
Pattison's letter-books, it is easy to see that this operation 
gave great satisfaction in New York: considerable stores 
were taken ; and the province of Georgia reduced. An officer 
of the Koyal Artillery bearing the same surname as he "who 
commanded at Khode Island, Lieut.-CJolonel Alexander Innes, 
was made Governor of Savannah, and afterwards sent home 
to the King with despatches. He had greatly distinguished 
himself during the attack. 

This was the last operation of any consequence in 1778. 
The Army remained concentrated at Ne\^ Yoit^ vixA *Oafc 



324 War of Independence. chap, xxvii. 

prisoners of war who had been taken by the Americans at 
Burgoyne's capitulation remained prisoners still. A few of 
the officers had been exchanged for American officers ; and, 
in this way, General Phillips, of the Artillery, ultimately 
became available for duty. General Pattison, who still 
commanded the Artillery, and was with the head-quarters 
of the army, received a special mark of favour from Sir 
Henry Clinton in July, 1779, being appointed Commandant 
of the City and Garrison of New York. It may not be 
uninteresting to the reader to learn what sort of place 
New York was in 1779, under a gunner's government, and 
an attempt to describe it will now be made. 



( 3^5 ) 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

The Gunneb who Governed New York. 

A T the foot of Broadway, in New York (the principal street 
-^ during the American War, as it is yet, although eclipsed 
in point of size by those known as Avenues,) there was, and 
there is, a small patch of turf giving its name to the sur- 
rounding houses, and known as the Bowling Green. 

On this Green there used to stand a statue, in lead, of His 
Majesty King George III., erected by a mob, to celebrate a 
victory over His Majesty's Government in a dispute in which 
they believed they had the King's sympathy ; and on this 
Green, in July, 1776, this same statue lay prostrate, thrown 
down by a similar mob, in anger because their wishes had 
been thwarted. It was their boast afterwards that forty-two 
thousand bullets were made out of King George's statue to 
fire at King George's soldiers. But although the mob ran 
riot in the city on that day, it must not be imagined that 
there was no loyalty in New York. There was, among all 
the respectable classes, a feeling of shame and sadness, which 
showed itself in the oloped churches and darkened windows, 
and, later on, in the joyous welcome which the British troops 
enabled them openly to give to the representatives of the 
British connection. New York, for many reasons, was more 
loyal than any other part of the revolted colonies, and there 
were many opportunities of displaying this in the period of its 
occupation by the British forces, — an occupation which, com- 
mencing in 1776, continued uninterruptedly for over seven 
years, until the war was at an end, and the colonies were lost. 

Near this Bowling Green lived, during the British occu- 
pation, most of the military officials ; and among others, in 
the years 1779 and 1780, lived James Pattison, Colonel in 
the Eoyal Artillery, Major-General in His Majeat^'^ 1<^\^^^ 



326 The G tinner Governor. Chap, xxvill. 



in America, and Commandant of the City and Garrison of 
New York. And the narrative of James Pattison's life is one 
which must occupy a very prominent place in a History of 
the Regiment to which he belonged. 

He was the second son of a merchant in London, who 
owned the estate at Woolwich and Plumstead, known as the 
Burrage Estate. He married a daughter of the celebrated 
Albert Borgard, and was repeatedly selected for appoint- 
ments requiring great tact and firmness, two qualities which 
he possessed in an eminent degree. Among others, he was, 
as a Lieutenant-Colonel, appointed Lieutenant-Governor of 
the Koyal Military Academy, and did more than any of his 
predecessors, or most of those who have succeeded him, to 
introduce a proper discipline among the Cadets and their 
instructors, while, at the same time, he raised the tone of the 
institution, and asserted, to an unheard-of extent, its inde- 
pendence of the authorities of the Woolwich garrison. 

He served with distinction in Flanders, and at the end of 
the Seven Years* War he was chosen to command the com- 
panies selected for service in Portugal. When so employed, 
he won the respect of all by his dignified firmness and 
courtesy, and laid the foundation of an affection towards 
himseK from the officers serving under him which never even 
waned. On his staff in Portugal was a subaltern bearing a 
name honoured then as now in the Artillery, — Adye. Lieu- 
tenant S. P. Adye was afterwards, as a Captain-Lieutenant, 
aide-de-camp to General Pattison when in command of the 
Royal Artillery in New York, and was a most able and 
energetic staff officer. 

Li 1769 Colonel Pattison was sent to Venice to superintend 
the organization of the Venetian Artillery. From private 
letters, which are still in existence, it would appear that he 
had a very difficult task, not so much with the Artillerymen 
as with the authorities, who were disposed to break faith 
with him. But as he simply threatened to resign if they did 
not keep their promises, he obtained what he wanted ; and it 
may be said of James Pattison that he never wanted more 
than justice. 



Chap, xxvill. Value of his Correspondence. 327 

General Pattison, as has already been mentioned, snc- 
ceeded Colonel Cleaveland in the command of the Fourth 
Battalion of the Royal Artillery in America. He succeeded 
one who was a soldier, but no statesman, — who conceived 
that the utmost expected of him was to despise and defeat 
any enemy who might be opposed to him. General Pattison 
was equally sensible of his duty as far as military operations 
were concerned ; but he went beyond his predecessor in the 
liberal and statesmanlike views he took of the state of 
America. In his oflScial reports, it is needless to say, he did 
not enter into details beyond his province ; but his private 
correspondence is a mine of wealth to the student of the 
great American War, and it has been placed at the disposal 
of the compiler of this work by the representatives of the 
family. The following letter is a dispassionate and valuable 
contribution to the history of those stirring times, and 
reveals at once the able character of the writer and the state 
of the American Colonies. In writing to his brother from 
Philadelphia, in December, 1777, he says : 

** I wish it was in my power to give you very pleasing 
** accounts of the state of affairs in this distracted country ; 
" but, indeed, it is almost a distracting consideration for 
" anyone who knows them, as we do by experieneey to think 
" of them. Ministers have been deceived, and have never 
" known the true state of this country ; if they had, they 
" never would have entered into a war with it. I own I had 
" very mistaken notions myself when in England of reducing 
" America to obedience by conquest. I have totally changed 
" my sentiments, not that I would wish them to be known 
" but to yourself, as it might not be prudent for me to 
" declare them ; but I will confess to you that, by what I 
" have seen and heard, I am fully of opinion that all the 
" efforts Great Britain can make will never eflfectually con- 
** quer this great continent, in which, notwithstanding all 
" that has been said of friends to Government here, and 
^^ friends to Government there, yet there is scarcely one 
" to be met with from one end of it to the other. We have 
*' not only armies to combat with, but a whole country. 



I 



328 The Gtmner Governor. Chap. XXVIII. 

" where every man, woman, and even child is your enemy, 
'^ and, in fact, do in one shape or another act as such. One 
^' Boyal Army has been already obliged to do what is not in 
'* our History to be met with, — to lay down their arms, and 
" surrender prisoners of war ; another Army at New York in 
'^ a state of alarm ; and the Grand Army here penned up 
*' within the narrow limits of two or three miles, and cut 
*' off from all provisions, but what must be gained by 
'' lighting for with large foraging parties sent out from time 
" to time for that purpose. In short, unless thirty thousand 
'' men more, added to the thirty thousand we already have, 
" can be sent hither early in the year, the wisest thing would 
'' be to get rid of the contest in the best manner you can, 
'' and, if it was possible to persuade them to revoke their 
*' Declaration of Independence, then to make one general 
" Act of Oblivion — give up entirely the point of taxation, 
** and restore the whole country to the state it was in 1763. 
" These are my politics, though I would not wish them to be 
known. I am much afraid the prosecution of the war must 
prove ruinous and destructive to Great Britain." 
These words have a special value, as coming from one 
whose official position in command of the Artillelry gave him 
favourable opportunities for forming an opinion. Happily, 
among British officers, opinions never interfere with the per- 
formance of duties, however hopeless ; and it will be found 
that no one was more energetic than General Pattison, both 
at Philadelphia and in his command at New York. At 
the same time, we learn from this letter three things — the 
success of the cry against England commenced in Massa-* 
chusetts, and swollen by hasty and foolish treatment on the 
part of England ; the falsehood of the Government statements 
at home ; and the great difficulties which embarrassed the 
English Army in its operations, even thus early in the war. 

But in this chapter the condition of New York during 
the British occupation is the subject of consideration ; and 
perhaps it cannot be better realized than by imagining 
oneself in the company of the gallant General, as he went 
hiH daily rounds. Hanging about in the vicinity of his house 






Chap. XXVIII. Population of New York'. 329 

are orderlies, in different costume ; the gunner, in full dress, 
with his gold-laced cocked-hat, with Mlof^ feather, as was 
the custom then in the 4th Battalion, his hair clubbed and 
powdered, white stock, white breeches, and white stockings, 
and armed with a carbine and a bayonet ; or, perhaps, in the 
marvellous undress invented for the Battalion by Colonel 
Cleaveland — a blue jacket and brown trousers. Among the 
others is also to be seen an occasional negro, in no particular 
uniform at all, one of a company of Virginian blacks enrolled 
for duty with the Artillery and in the Ordnance Yard. In 
the recent American Civil War many hard things ^ere said 
of the Northerners for declaring the slaves of the rebels to 
be free, at a time when the women and children of the South 
were in their homes alone and unprotected. It is but fair 
to say that the example followed was our own. During the 
War of Independence the same course towards the rebels was 
taken by the British, and an influx of runaway slaves in New 
York was the result. This, coupled with the decided immi- 
gration of Loyalists from other districts, accounts for the 
great rise in the population of New York during the British 
occupation, which increased from 17,000 to 30,000. The 
newspapers of the time teem with advertisements announcing 
the sale of slaves, but from the fact above mentioned it is 
evident that they can only apply to the slaves of Loyalists. 
Some of them are so grotesque as to be worthy of repro- 
duction : 

'* To be sold, a strong, healthy mulatto girl, about fifteen 

'^ years of age. Has been used to household work and the 

'' care of children. She has both had tb^ small-pox and the 

' " measles. For further particulars, apply to Mr. Stevens, 

" Livery Stable Keeper^ Little Queen-street." 

"To be sold, a young negro wench, who has had the 
" small-pox, can cook very well, nineteen years old, and sold 
" for no fault. Lowest price, 70Z." 

And — " For sale, a fine negro boy and a billiard-table." 

Doubtless, if one looked in at the places of auction, the 
poor girl " who is accustomed to the care of children " would 
be found crying her heart out, while thinking of tha qJmwlsi^ 



330 The Gumur Governor. Chap, xxviii. 

from which she has been torn, and dreading the unknown 
future before her ; while poor little Sambo would be seen 
showing his white teeth over the table which has been the 
dusky marker's little world, and from which he has found 
that he is not to be separated. 

The newspapers of the time, in which the above advertise- 
ments appear, are an interesting study. From them one gets 
an admirable picture of the city during the British occupa- 
tion — of the business, amusements, and daily routine. One is 
soon reminded that New York was under martial law. The 
statute price of the loaf always headed the column, by order 
of the Major-General commanding, followed by terrible 
threats against the farmers on Long Island if they did not 
bring their hay, without further delay, to the city for sale. 
Notices to the refugees from rebel districts, informing them 
where they could obtain work, were regularly inserted, for 
the Commandant would have no idlers in the place. Authority 
for lotteries was occasionally notified, the proceeds to go to 
the aged and invalid poor; and theatrical advertisements 
were frequent. 

The Garrison Dramatic Club, whose profits went to assist 
the soldiers' wives, was composed of officers of the Garrison, 
who were assisted in their performances by young ladies — 
daughters of New York merchants — whose parts were played, 
according to the critics of the time, " with great propriety, 
" spirit, and accuracy." The receipts of the Club in one 
year, amounted to 9,500Z., all of which, after deducting 
unavoidable expenses, was spent in charity. 

The rules of the theatre were somewhat arbitrary. Not 
merely had the places to be secured and paid for before the 
day of performance, but the takers were compelled to send 
their servants at half-past four in the afternoon to keep 
their seats until the curtain rose at seven. It must have 
been a ludicrous sight during these two hours and a half — 
that dusky audience with nothing to hear, those crowded 
spectators with nothing to see. 

One of the chief actors in the club was Major Williams, of 
the Aitillery, who was also Brigade-Major of the Garrison. 



Chap. XXVI II. T/ie Newspapers, 33 1 

In the Library of the Historical Society in New York there 
is yet to be found frequent and favourable mention of this 
officer's rendering of Macbeth and Kichard HI. 

Possibly an undue value may easily be attached to the 
opinions of an audience which was, doubtless, more or less, 
composed of the actors' friends; but it has been recorded 
that nothing was so popular, — no wit, humour, or buflfoonery 
so welcome, even to the gallery, — as hits at the rebels during 
the performance. 

The newspapers of the day were the * Mercury,' published 
on Monday ; * Robertson's Loyal American Gazette,' on 
Thursday; and the * General Advertiser,' on Friday. But 
there was one more reliable, and more generally read, than 
any of these, — the * Gazette,' published every Wednesday 
and Saturday, by a man called Kivington, famed for his 
hospitality and as a hon vivarity but who proved eventually 
to be a traitor,. About 1781 he began to see that, under the 
influence of the French Alliance and dissension in England, 
the rebel cause was brightening. While, therefore, still 
continuing to utter the most loyal sentiments in his journal, 
he supplied the enemy, in rather an ingenious way, with all 
the latest intelligence. Being a bookbinder as well as pub- 
lisher, and being wholly unsuspected, he was permitted to 
send books to the Jerseys and elsewhere for sale. In the 
binding of the books were concealed despatches for Washing- 
ton, who was thus supplied with the latest news from New 
York and England. 

From advertisements in the various newspapers, the price 
of tea during the British occupation would appear to have 
averaged 18s. per lb. ; com varied with the punctuality or 
otherwise of the convoys from Ireland, — a strange thing to 
read of in days when America is known as the grain-producing 
country of the world ; and claret, from some reason or other, 
was cheap and plentiful. There are, in the Royal Artillery 
Eecord Office, permit-books of General Pattison'a from which 
the filial affection of the subalterns in the Garrison can be 
gauged by the amount of claret they received permission to 
send from New York to their anxious parents. 



33^ The Gunner Governor. Chap, xxviii. 

But, returning to No. 1 Broadway, on the Bowling Q-reen, 
where the General lived, let the reader accompany him on 
his rounds. His chestnut horse is at the door, and Captain 
Adye and Oaptain-Lientenant Ford, his Quartermaster, are 
waiting for him. The house in which he lives was formerly 
occupied by Sir Henry Clinton, now the Commander of the 
Forces, and afterwards by General Bobertson, the immediate 
predecessor of General Pattison as Commandant of New 
York. The next house, No. 3 Broadway, had been occupied 
by Sir William Howe, on the first occupation of New York 
by the English forces in 1776, and was destined to be the 
residence of the arch-renegade, Arnold. 

The General is a wiry, muscular man, of about fifty-four 
years of age ; — ^his staff were mere boys, and yet he outlived 
them both. The characteristic which struck every one most 
was his courtly urbanity : every hat which was raised by 
passers-by was courteously acknowledged ; and for every one 
whom he knew there was a pleasant, kindly word. He looks 
even brighter and more cheery this morning than usual, and, 
judging from the barely-suppressed merriment of his staff — 
when he is not looking — there is evidently some cause for 
cheerfulness. The joke is this. If James Pattison excels in 
one thing more than another, it is in correspondence. Last 
night had found him in a good vein, and his staff are still 
chuckling over some letters which they had copied this 
morning. Let three be selected, with a judicious blending 
of love and war, and let preference be given to the first. 
The General was, in the strongest and most benevolent sense, 
a father to his officers ; there was no one in whose affairs he 
was not ready to take an interest ; and his sympathy with 
all under his command is visible in every line of his corre- 
spondence. As the student sits among his letter-books, in 
the Dryasdust Becord Offices looking out on the muddy 
Thames, there are times when, out of the yellow pages and 
faded writing, there seems to shape itself a figure, which, 
even at this distance of time, has such a 'loveable reality 
about it, that he seems to have known it as a dear friend. 
In return for the interest the General felt in and showed for 



Chap. XXVIII. General Paltisons Letters. 333 

his officers, he asked but one thing — their confidence ; and 
the extent of his private correspondence shows that he did 
not ask in vain. 

But there had been an exception, — unconscious, perhaps, 
but not unnoticed. A giddy subaltern had fallen in love. 
The General hardly expected to be told of this. In those 
days, as now, it might be predicated of subalterns that " 'tis 
" their nature to !" But this youth resolved to marry, and 
did not tell his resolution. He was away in Florida ; there 
were no regular posts ; perhaps the General might not 
approve of it ; and, besides, those sweet hours of bliss were 
too dear to be interrupted by extraneous correspondence. 
So he was married. At first all was happiness. Love was 
still in every room of the cottage; and the General, like 
everything else, was forgotten. But there came a day when, 
in that little cottage, there were " Booms to let," for Love 
had taken umbrage at a threadbare ruffian, called Poverty, 
who had taken up his abode. So, like the Prodigal Son in 
the Parable, the mournful subaltern remembered his G-eneral, 
and, writing a doleful letter as to the expenses of the married 
state, suggested a happy arrangement by which his income 
might be improved. To which the General had overnight 
penned the following reply. The reader will bear in mind 
that the General, like St. Peter, was himself also a married 
man. 



" Dear Sm, 

" The letter you favoured me with gives me, at last, 
" an opportunity of congratulating you upon your marriage. 
*' I am very sensible it is a state which must be attended by 
" extraordinary expenses, and wish it was in my power to 
"enable you, with perfect ease, to defray them. I would 
even adopt the mode you propose, of appointing you 
Quartermaster, if I thought the good of the service 
" required ; but as it does not appear to me necessary for 
" every detached company to have a staff annexed to it, I 
*' am sure you will have the goodness to excuft^ tbc^ vckSs^ixrosL^ 



u 
a 



334 ^^he Gufmcr Governor. Chap, xxviii. 



" any extraordinary charges upon Grovemment which I conld 
** not properly justify. 

" I am, with regard, &c., &c." 

Another letter which the General had written was to a 
friend at Woolwich, who superintended the recruiting for the 
Battalion, which was then much below its establishment. 
In answer to repeated remonstrances, a few haudfuls of men 
from the other Battalions were sent, — not the best, it is to 
be feared, if human nature then were like human nature 
now; and, at last, recruits being no longer obtainable in 
England, the experiment was tried of recruiting in Ireland, 
and the first draft was sent to the 4th Battalion. At this 
time the Irish Artillery, afterwards the 7th Battalion 
of the Royal Artillery, enjoyed a separate existence, and 
secured the best recruits in Ireland. The refuse only 
remained for the Eoyal Artillery, and the following is the 
graphic language used by the gallant General in describing 
the new levies as they landed in New York. 

** The drafts have arrived, four having deserted, and one 
" died upon the passage. I should not have been very much 
" afflicted if many of those who landed here had saved me, 
" either by death or desertion, the pain of looking at them, 
" for such warriors of 5 feet 5J^ inches I never saw raised 
" before for the service of Artillery. * * ♦ j presume 
** the reason why so few stand of arms accompanied them 
** was the consideration of these whippers-in and postilions 
** of fellows being unable to bear them : but I must try how 
" far the strength of these diminutive warriors is equal to 
" carry muskds cut down, for they shall never appear, while I 
** command them, otherwise than as soldiers. * * * 

Hard times, indeed, and great must be the scarcity of men, 

when the Eoyal Artillery is obliged to take such reptiles. 
" I would they were back in the bogs from which they 
" sprang." 

In less than a hundred years, had the General lived, he 
would have seen many of even a worse stamp landing here, 
to swell the army of New York Bowdies, — men who poison 






Chap. XXVIII. The Board of Ordnance. 

the blood of the American commonwealth, making the great 
Eepnblic break out into hideous and pestilent sores, which 
in the eyes of the world deface and hide the beauties it so 
undoubtedly possesses. 

T^ i. . k W m i mw^ij^ last letter to be quoted is a more serious 

ddressed to the Eight Honourable the Board of 

£ this time very wooden-headed, very obstinate, 

ad to every form of circumlocution. Their officials 

n to snub, and carp, and disallow ; to thrust on the 

joard at any joyous time some hideous skull of pig- 

^i queries ; and to look with suspicion on any one who 

S to think for himself. The officials of the Ordnance 

e passed away; but who shall say that the type is 

*tinct ? 

Ah ! this gunner who governed New York ! He had his 
rough hours with the rebels, and with the citizens, and with 
his motley army, but the roughest were when the convoys 
coming in brought the usual budget of stupendous idiocy, 
written by clerks who knew not, probably, whether America 
lay to the east or the west of the Tower, but who felt that 
their duty was to be to the conscientious officer an eternal 
nightmare. 

The good General, who thought of England's interests 
before anything else, had recently given permission for the 
pay of the men to be drawn by bills on Messrs. Cox and Mair, 
the rate of exchange at the time being such as to leave 
a handsome surplus to the Government on the sale of the 
bills. But no sooner did the members of the worshipful Board 
hear of this, than each particular hair stood on end on each 
individual head, and a letter was despatched to the General 
reprimanding him for daring to think of himself. Fortu- 
nately Messrs. Cox and Mair protected the bills : but no more 
were drawn, and the General's scheme for saving his 
country's money was ruthlessly butchered. As luck would 
have it, the same mail brought to the General letters of 
commendation from the King and all in authority ; and the 
confirmation of the rank of Major-General, bestowed on him 
by Sir Henry Clinton for service in the field. This enabled 



3^o Tlu Gunner Governor. Chap. XXVI i I. 

him to qnote the satisfaction expressed by others with his 
conduct, in the commencement of his letter to the Board, 
thus giving a point to his next dignified sentences, ac- 
knowledging their rebuke. ''These marks, my Lord and 
"gentlemen, of your displeasure, and the never having 
" received the honour (notwithstanding my unwearied en- 
"deavours to deserve it,) of your declared approbation in 
" any instance since I have been entrusted with the direction 
" of your affairs in this service, cannot fail to give me the 
" most sensible mortification. The extensive and complicated 
" command I have is sufficiently onerous of itself, but under 
" the present circumstances the weight becomes less support- 
" able. I should, therefore, be exceedingly glad if I might 
" be permitted to transfer it over to abler hands, who might 
" probably be more fortunate in giving fuller satisfsustion." 

It is unnecessary to say that the brainless scribes in the 
Tower were a little quieter after this, and more sparing of 
their senseless criticism. 

Before doing anything else, the General's custom during 
his morning's ride was to look at the batteries near his 
house, known then as Fort George and Grand Battery. The 
former was a regular fortification, and the latter mounted 
94 guns. They were situated where the Castle Garden — for 
the reception of emigrants — and the South Ferry House now 
stand. They commanded the river between New York and 
Brooklyn heights, and New York and Staten Island. The for- 
tifications on Brooklyn heights, especially Fort Stirling, had 
been immensely strengthened by General Pattison, and not a 
point on New York Island was left unarmed by him. He 
availed himself of many breast-works and trenches, and of 
large works like Fort Independence, which the Americans 
had built when they contemplated the defence, instead of the 
evacuation of New York : and he strengthened them in the 
most laborious and efficient manner. To his efforts more 
than any other's, was the fact due that the City remained 
unmolested during the whole war. His labours and duties 
were enormous. His command being co-extensive with the 
North American continent, he would one day receive demands 



Chap. XXVIII. Great Demand for Stores, 337 

for powder and guns from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and the next 
day from Florida, or from Captain Traille in Virginia. 
Captain Traille was one of those men to be met with even 
now in the Artillery, a man with a grievance. He had been 
made local Major, and had applied without success to have 
the rank made substantive. He took his revenge out of the 
Government by demanding stores in the wildest manner. 
The first thing he always did on arriving at a new station 
was to send in requisitions, as if he were going to fortify 
Gibraltar. 

The soreness on Captain Traille's part appears in other 
ways in the records of the time. A young gentleman, named 
Black, who, according to the custom in those days, had carried 
arms in his company with great distinction, refused a commis- 
sion in the Artillery oflfered him by the Master-General, and 
accepted one instead in Lord Eawdon's New York Volunteers. 
It is easy to imagine the lad going to his Captain for advice, 
and finding him brooding over the unfortunate Majority, or 
calculating how next to worry the authorities with store- 
demands. And having imagined this, it is not difficult to 
imagine what the Captain's advice would be. 

While talking of stores, it is worthy of mention that at 
one time so heavy had been the demands on the General from 
out-stations, particularly from Halifax, which was reduced to 
barely seven rounds a gun, that there were only 476 barrels 
of powder left in the whole city and district of New York, 
under British rule. There was, as is apparent from contem- 
porary correspondence, not a little anxiety on the subject in 
the Commandant's office. 

Although General Pattison was saved much laborious and 
unpleasant correspondence by having a very competent staff, 
he occasionally took the pen himself in official differences, 
even with his regimental subordinates. One, Captain William 
Johnstone, had entered a remonstrance showing that two of 
the officers posted to his company were prisoners in the hands 
of the rebels, and the other two were in England. Had he 
remained content with a bare statement of facts, he would 
have done well, but he went on to make insinuations ; and 

VOL. I. z 



338 The Gunner Governor. Chap. XXVill. 

after also disparaging the men who had been sent to his 
Company with the last draft, he concluded by hinting that 
the climate of Pensacola, where he was stationed, disagreed 
with him. To whom the General : " As to the idea which you 
" think proper to throw out, and which I cannot but think 
" an extraordinary one, of officers endeavouring to get out of 
" their commands, no such applications have ever been made 
" to me ; consequently, I cannot have granted the improper 
*' indulgences you allude to ; but with respect to indulgences 
" to officers under my command, I must desire to be con- 
" sidered the best judge how far they may be bestowed, 
** consistent with the good of the service. * * • 
" The men whom you think so bad were not picked out, but 
'* impartially drafted ; and if any of them carry the marks 
" of bad behaviour on their backs,- 1 hope the end will be 
" answered by their correcting it for the future, and that 
" their good conduct under you will be the means of soon 
" wearing them out. * * * I am very sorry 
'' that the climate of Pensacola disagrees with you so much, 
" but hope that you will soon recover your health." 

The reader will now be good enough to accompany the 
General up Broadway, towards Hester Street, in the Bowery, 
then one of the extreme streets yet built in New York, and 
near the spot where the British landed on 16th September, 
1776, to occupy the city. It was close to the place where St. 
Mark's Church now stands ; and at that date was marked 
by the existence of the house of the last Dutch Governor of 
New York, built of yellow brick, imported from Holland, 
now unfortunately destroyed. In Hester Street lived Mrs. 
Douglas, the young wife of as brave a subaltern of Artillery 
as ever stepped. The General had just received a despatch 
from Sir Henry Clinton, then engaged in operations up the 
Hudson, in which young Douglas's bravery, coolness, and 
skill had been mentioned in the highest terms. Before 
writing to his subaltern to express the satisfaction he derived 
from such a report, the General hastened to tell the good 
news to Mrs. Douglas ; thus killing two birds with one stone, 
for it enabled him to add to his letter a postscript which he 



Chap. XXVIII. Major J antes, 339 

knew yonng Douglas would yalue, giving all the latest news 
from his home. It was this thoughtfulness which endeared 
him to his officers ; it is from such little data as this that the 
student learns how loveable as well as able this gallant 
officer was. The day shall come — and not so far distant — 
when the General shall stop in the same street at a door not 
much farther on, but his face shall be sad, and his step slow, 
as he mounts the staircase to tell of a young husband lying 
under the turf near Charlestown, wounded to death in the 
battle, and dying with his wife's name on his lips, and love 
for her in his glazing eye. As he enters the room, there 
shall be that in his face which a woman's wit shall too 
quickly read, and the cry of a broken heart shall echo on the 
old man's ears for years to come ! 

Leaving Hester Street the General rode towards Banelagh 
House, then a species of Tea Gardens, out of the city, but 
only a little east of the present intersection of Anthony 
Street and West Broadway. About twenty-five years before 
the British occupation of New York, to which this chapter 
refers, this house was the residence of Major James, of the 
Eoyal Artillery, a man of great taste and considerable private 
means. He went on one occasion on leave to England ; and, 
during his absence, the celebrated Eiot on the arrival of the 
Stamps took place. A mob, which took the name of the 
" Sons of Liberty," having first burnt the Lieutenant- 
Governor in effigy, and broken his Coach of State to pieces, 
went oflf playfully to Major James's unprotected house, 
burned his valuable library and large collection of works of 
art, and ruined his beautiful garden. A few months later, it 
became a public-house, kept by one John Jones, who sent 
fireworks oflf in the evening, and by day and night gratified 
the thirst of the Sons of Liberty. It was a curious heaping 
of coals of fira that a few years later it should fall to this 
very Major James — after a six weeks* passage from Plymouth, 
to bring the joyful news of the repeal of the Stamp Act. 
Banelagh House had become during the War a great place 
for recruiting for the various Eegiments raised for the King's 
service in New York. During General Pattison's command, 

z 2 



340 The Gunner Governor. Chap, xxviii. 

no loss than 4000 Loyalist Volunteers were doing duty in the 
city, and 3000 more were away on duty in the South, Some 
statistics regarding these volunteer corps may be interesting. 
The New Jersey Gentlemen Volunteers, embodied — as the 
recruiting notices said — " during this wanton rebellion," 
received each 20 dollars bounty, and " everything necessary 
" to complete a gentleman soldier ;" Lord Bawdon's Lreland 
Volunteers received each 30s. bounty ; and men were tempted 
to enlist into Colonel Simcoe's Queen's Banger Hussars by 
the promise of '^ an elegant horse, cloathing &c., to the 
** amount of 40 guineas : the bringer to get 2/. 2s." Men 
enlisting into the regular army got one guinea bounty ; and 
on one occasion when men were wanted for regiments in 
the West Indies, the married men of New York were tempted 
by the oflfer of 55. a week for the husband, 3s. 9i. a week for 
his wife, and 2s. 6c2. a week for each child, over and above 
prize-money. 

Side by side with these various notices, as well as on every 
public place and in every newspaper, an intimation was to 
be found, characteristic of the Generars method and accuracy, 
calling upon any one who had any claim against the Boyal 
Artillery, or the Ordnance, to submit it without delay. 
This same method is visible in all his internal civil arrange- 
ments, showing that he possessed admirable qualifications for 
the post of Home Secretary as well as General. He ordered 
every stranger on arrival in the city to report himself on 
pain of suspicion ; the citizens had to form a nightly watch 
in their respective wards, subject to 24 hours* imprisonment, 
or 1 dollar fine, if absent, in addition to making up Uie duty ; 
each chimney had to be swept once a month under penalty 
of a 51, fine ; a certain number, only, of public-houses was 
licensed, on the recommendation of the principal officers of 
the Army and Navy, or of respectable inhabitants ; and any 
one selling liquor without a licence was fined 5/. and the 
money given to the poor. All carmen were obliged to have 
licences ; and if any one overcharged his fare, he was fined 
40s., one half going to the poor, and the other half to the 
informer. 



Chap. XXVIII. The Neutral Ground. 341 

A favoarite pnnishment for misdemeanonrs and thoft was 
banishment beyond the lines, accompanied by further severe 
punishment if the offender should return. The inhabitants 
were liable to confinement in the main-guard, but their cases 
had to be inquired into by the ciyil magistrates before 11 a.m« 
on the following day. Negro slaves and others deemed 
worthy of corporal punishment were sent to a court-martial ; 
and able-bodied offenders were not unfrequently sent on 
board the Admiral's Fleet. 

The General's arrangements for the various ferries were 
excellent, and all the profits went to the poor. Boatmen had 
to take out licences, and in event of overcharge they were 
punished in the same way as the carmen. Auctioneers had 
not merely to provide themselves with licences, but also to 
find sureties to the amount of 5000?. New York currency. 
And at any meeting of the vestry which concerned the 
disbursement of public money, the Mayor was compelled to 
be present, and make a report to the Commandant, as well 
as to see that his wishes were complied with. 

A good deal of trouble arose from what was called the 
Neutral Ground, extending some 30 miles above the Island 
of New York, and not included in the lines of either army. 
It was a fertile and populous country, but much infested by 
bands of plunderers, called cow-boys and skinners. The cow- 
boys lived within the British lines, and bought, or stole, 
cattle for the use of the troops. The rendezvous of the 
skinners was within the American lines. They professed to 
be great patriots, making it their ostensible business to 
plunder those who refused to take the oath of allegiance to 
the State of New York. But they were ready in fact to 
plunder any one, and the cattle they thus obtained were often 
sold to the cow-boys in exchange for dry goods from New 
York. It was when traversing this neutral ground, that the 
unfortunate Major Andre was captured. By the way, the 
General in his morning's ride passed the house where Andre 
was to dine the evening before he should start on his ill-fated 
journey. It was an old Dutch house which remained 
standing until 1850, near the present intersection of 2nd 



34^ The Gunner Governor. Chap. XXVII I. 

Avenne and 34th Street ; and was occnpied daring the British 
occupation, as an officer's quarter, by Colonel Williams of the 
80th Begiment. 

In continuing his ride, the General went to Greenwich, 
a village situated at that time a mile and a half out of the 
city, but now in the very heart of it, where the German 
troops in English pay were stationed. Of all the mistakes 
made by England in that war — and they were many — the 
hiring of mercenaries to fight the Americans was perhaps 
the greatest. It irritated many loyal men into rebellion, and 
gave a union and cohesion to the disloyal, such as they never 
otherwise would have gained. Nor were the mercenaries 
very valuable as soldiers; they were discontented and 
quarrelsome ; and to their want of vigilance was the irre- 
parable disaster of Trenton wholly due. Even to this day, 
the Americans talk most bitterly of their being hired by the 
English to shoot down their own flesh and blood ; and there 
can be no doubt that more soreness was due to this circum- 
stance, than to any other connected with the war. Apart, 
however, from the general question, there was no Com- 
manding officer whose management of the foreign troops 
displayed so much tact, as General Pattison. Whether it 
were on duty, or on such occasions as the celebrated ball 
given by him on the King's Birthday in 1780, which he 
opened with the wife of the German Baron who commanded 
at Greenwich, his courtesy and tact were always exerted to 
cement diflerences, or allay grievances. 

Beturning homewards from Greenwich, the General rode 
through a great many burnt streets, burnt by incendiaries the 
night after the English occupied New York, and at a fire which 
took place later; — past not a few churches which had been 
converted into prisons, riding-schools, and hospitals, for at 
times the sickness in the city was very great; — past 
Vauxhall, where Sir Peter Warren lived ; past the house in 
Hanover Square where Prince William stayed, when sent out 
by the King in compliment to his American subjects ; and 
past the dwelling of that most princely of dinner-givers, 
honest Admiral Walton. As he rode along, he passed 



Chap. XXVIII. The Labourers Wages. 343 

printed anathemas on the walls against priyateering, and 
notices of 20 guineas reward from the Government, and 10 
guineas additional from the insurance offices, for the discovery 
of any man who should have seduced a soldier on board a 
privateer. There were no less than 5000 New Yorkers 
engaged during the war in this lawless occupation. It was 
certainly adding insult to injury, after the sleepless nights 
they sometimes caused to the General, but the owners of a 
very fast privateer had actually the impertinence to name 
their ship after him. 

On his way home he rode into the Ordnance Yard, where a 
few words of comfort had to be spoken to the men whose 
wages were so disproportionate to those of ordinary civil 
labourers, that not merely were they discontented, but they 
could hardly live at all. Ordinary labourers in the city got 
5a. a day, and skilled artisans could earn as much as 12$. 
and 158. ; but in the Ordnance Yard the average wage was 
only Ss. a day and a ration, and in vain had the General urged 
on the Board of Ordnance to sanction some approximation to 
the wages of the other labourers in New York. While men 
could be got with ease near the Tower of London for 3«. a 
day, the Board of Ordnance might as well have been expected 
to pay more in America, as their clerks to learn geography. 

The General having now returned to Broadway, let two 
or three instances be mentioned, in which he prominently 
figured during his command at New York, before closing this 
chapter. 

The first shall be the only instance in which the General 
ever showed any symptom of insubordination. He forgot the 
soldier in the gunner. On the last day of May, 1779, he 
accompanied Sir Henry Clinton, the Commander-in-Chief, to 
within 3 miles of Stony Point on the Hudson; and as Artillery 
became necessary in carrying out the proposed attack, 
General Pattison was ordered to take command of the troops. 
During the night — a dark, moonless night — the Artillery for 
the service was got up, and the batteries completed by five 
o'clock in the morning, notwithstanding great difficulties, 
arising from a bad landing-place and a very steep precipice. 



344 The Gunner Governor. Chap. XXVIII. 

Orders were then given to commence firing on the enemy's 
works, and, notwithstanding the great distance, the fire was 
soon seen to have been effectual. Sir Henry Clinton there- 
fore sent instructions to the General to cease firing, but the 
General's blood was up. The range had been got to an inch 
and he hungered to go on ; so instead of ceasing fire, he sent 
back an earnest request to be allowed a few more rounds. 
Very soon, however, a white flag was seen ; and in a few 
minutes it was known that the whole rebel force had 
surrendered. 

The next sketch may be said to show the culminating 
point of the General's career as Commandant of New York. 
The winter of 1779 was the hardest, it is believed, ever 
recorded in that city. The water was frozen between New 
York and Staten Island, and guns were carried over on 
sleighs. It was an anxious time. The insular advantages of 
New York disappeared before this unexpected high-road 
of ice; the Jerseys were swarming with Washington's 
troops ; and as nearly the whole of the regular forces had 
gone from New York to Charlestown on special service, the 
General dreaded an attack which he might be unable to 
resist. Notwithstanding the croaking of many advisers, he 
called out, and resolved to arm, the inhabitants, to test the 
sincerity of their professions of loyalty, and to ascertain 
whether his rule in the city had been a successful one. To 
those who assured him that it was a rash measure, he 
answered that he felt confident that the number of doubtful 
characters was but trifling, and as those few would be 
blended in the ranks with the many who could be relied on, 
they would be less capable of doing mischief under arms, 
than if " left to lurk in their dwellings." 

And the event proved that he was right. In a few hours 
he had 4300 loyal volunteers between 17 and 60 years of age. 
armed at their own expense, until arms could no longer be 
bought, when they received them from the King's stores ; he 
had merchants of the city standing sentry on his own house ; 
and so fired were the naval officers by his energy, that they 
landed all the sailors they could spare, and put them under 



Chap. XXVIII. Return to England. 345 

— - ■ I r I ■- M I i - 

his orders. In return, the General courteously named a new 
battery which he was building, the Eoyal Naval Battery, and 
gave it to the sailors to man. And the result was that the 
city remained unmolested. 

The anxiety the General suffered during the winter of 
1779 aggravated a complaint from which he had been suffering 
for some time, which he describes in his diary as " a stubborn 
'' disease which no medicine can allay," and he began to feel 
that rest and change were necessary. So he applied for, and 
obtained, leave of absence to go home for the benefit of the 
Bath waters ; but so reluctant was he to leave his post that 
it was late in the autumn of 1780, before he actually sailed. 
During the few months immediately preceding his departure 
his correspondence is a mixture of explanations to the 
authorities at home of the reasons for his return, and 
entreaties to his officers to write to him at Bath, and keep 
him posted in all the news of the war. During the three years 
of his command he had got everything into such admirable 
order, that its transfer to his successor was simpler than 
could have been expected from its complicated and extensive 
nature. He received a perfect ovation on his departure, both 
from the civil and military part of the population ; and the 
dear old man had hardly sat down in Bath, before he wrote 
off to all his old friends of the* 4th Battalion. 

In all that General Pattison did — whether on duty or not 
— he was essentially conscientious and hard-working. And 
these are the two qualities which rule the world. George 
Macdonald — in his lecture on Milton — said that on rising from 
a study of the poet's works, he felt that he had been gazing on 
one who was, in every noble sense of the word, a 7nan. And 
the student of General Fattison's letters and orders feels also, 
in quitting the dusty tomes and faded letters, that he has 
been conversing with a true, a noble man. 

A brief notice of his death will suitably close this chapter. 
He lived to be a very old man. Twice he wap appointed 
Commandant of Woolwich, a command less onerous than 
that which he held in America, but still a prize to which 
every Artillery officer looks forward. At last on a March 



346 The Gunner Governor. Chap. XXVlli. 

morning in the year 1805, that stubborn disease which indeed 
no medicine can allay, that old, old disease, death, stole into 
Hill Street, Berkeley Square, and touched on the shoulder, 
in his 82nd year, the gallant old soldier, a chapter in whose 
life has just been alluded to. 

It was a year of note for England. War was going on in 
the East and in the West, and success had attended the 
English arms in both. Europe was bristling with armed 
men, whom the genius and the dread of Napoleon had pro- 
duced; and in England alone, besides a gigantic regular 
army, 325,000 volunteers had rallied to protect the soil 
against a not improbable invasion. The cost of the army 
that year was over fourteen millions, in addition to which over 
four millions were voted for the Ordnance ; and no less than 
four and a half millions more for the support of the militia 
and volunteers fell upon the groaning taxpayers. Nearly 
everything in England was taxed, and this year saw the 
taxes increased. A man's pension, office, personal estate, and 
everything that could be called a luxury was heavily mulct ; 
if a legacy were left him, it shrank wofully in the process of 
reaching him ; his profession or trade was made but another 
excuse for picking his pocket ; if he smoked, the tax-gatherer 
waited round the corner ; if he took snuff, the same relentless 
visitor called upon him ; and yet, after all, the revenue of 
the country fell far short of its expenditure. The horrified 
fund-holder saw Consols quoted at 58, and yet Parliament 
borrowing right and left to make the two ends meet. Twenty- 
four millions were borrowed by annuities, and twelve millions 
by Exchequer bills ; and driven to his wits' end by want of 
funds, the Chancellor of the Exchequer started lotteries to 
raise the wind. 

A year of note in England. It was the year when 
Trafalgar was fought, and a country wept in the hour of 
victory for a life that could not be spared. A year when 
men were Titans ; a fit year for a soldier to live ; no unfit 
one in which he could die who had done to the very last his 
duty. 

In March, 1805, the old General passed to his rest. 



Chap. XXVIII. His Death. 347 

Perhaps, as he lay dying, his mind wandered to the Far 
West, where so important a part of his career had been 
passed ; to the Hudson, bound then in the grip of winter ; 
to the trees at West Point waving their naked arms in the 
wind, as if praying for summer ; to New York spreading in 
peace as it never could have spread in war; to that great 
country, destined to be greater yet, but ah ! never to be so 
pure as in those days of its infancy as a Bepublic, whose 
people were listening— even as he died — to the words ad- 
dressed to them by their new President, words of soberness 
and peace, such as Washington himself would have loved. 
And so the old man went to sleep. 



( 348 ) 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



Conclusion op the War. 



"DEFOKE summing up the Artillery share in the American 
■^ War of Independence, a glance may be taken at the 
domestic life of the Begiment at this time. From the date 
when the Begimental feeling first developed itself, there has 
always been a body of officers whom taste, opportunity, or 
ability has singled out to express the hopes, schemes, or 
resolutions, which may haye existed among the officers at 
large for the welfare of the Corps. The centre of the 
Begimental life which has found its expression in such men 
has always been Woolwich. In the earlier days of the 
Begiment this was natural, as its head-quarters and its com- 
manding officer were at that station : in later times, when 
the Begiment became too large for the superyision of one 
man, the head-quarters of the Battalions were concentrated 
there ; and after the appointment of a Deputy- Adjutant- 
General of the Boyal Artillery, his office remained at 
Woolwich for many years, the centre of administration of 
the whole corps. The large force of Artillery always at 
Woolwich, the manufacturing departments, and the numerous 
Begimental establishments, such, for example, as the Boyal 
Artillery Institution, and the Department of Artillery studies, 
conspire at the present day to render Woolwich more than 
ever the centre of the Begiment's intellectual and domestic life. 
In the correspondence between officers at out-stations and 
at head-quarters, at various times in the Begiment's history, 
may be read much that is interesting of Begimental schemes 
and wishes. The great domestic event during the American 
war was undoubtedly the formation of the Invalid Battalion, 
thus ridding the four service Battalions of their invalid 
companies, and giving them effective men instead. The 



Chap. XXIX. Proposed Division of the Regiment. 349 

promotion given by the augmentation gave also great satis- 
faction to the officers, and in no place was it hailed with more 
delight than in America. Although the Invalid Battalion 
was not formed until 1779, its formation had been part of a 
scheme which had entered into the consideration of the 
thoughtful officers of the Regiment for some years. In a 
letter from General Pattison, at New York, to Captain Blome- 
field, at Woolwich, the scheme is thus alluded to. " I have 
"just time, and that is all, to acknowledge and thank you 
" for your obliging communication of the new arrangement 
" for the Corps of Artillery. I began to despair of that plan, 
" after lying dormant so long, ever taking place. You will, 
" I am sure, do me the justice to believe that its being 
" brought to light again, and carried into execution, afibrds 
" me the truest satisfaction, and I very sincerely congratulate 
" you upon the event. I hope, too, it is a prelude to some- 
" thing still better, and that tlie next step will he to form the 
^^ four Battalions into as many Regiments, to consist of two 
'^ Battalions each ; and then I think the young officers need 
" not be very solicitous to get into the Line." This is a very 
interesting quotation; and shows that the idea which has 
frequently been entertained, although happily never carried 
out, of dividing the Regiment into small Regiments with 
independent promotion, is at least a century old. Division 
of a different description may soon be necessary ; a more 
thorough separation of the Grarrison Artillery from the Horse 
and Field Artillery ; but a division into several Regiments 
would have few good results, and many evil. That the 
division, which it is said above may become necessary, has 
never been effected, is demonstrative of the strength of the 
Regimental feeling, which could tolerate so many anomalies, 
rather than admit the small end of the wedge of separation. 
As science progresses. Siege and Garrison Artillery wander 
farther away every day from the Field branch of the Arm ; 
and the difficulty of ensuring the necessary proficiency in 
officers who are changed repeatedly from one service to 
another wholly distinct, as well as the natural tendencies of 
young officers towards the mounted branches, may some day 



350 Cofulusion of t/ie War. Chap. xxix. 

compel the isyue of the long deferred edict of divorce. That 
such divorce is practicable without infringing on the Eegi- 
mental system is as firmly believed by those who have given 
the subject their consideration, as that the duties of the 
various branches would be better performed, were the ofiicers 
to realize that they would be retained in their performance 
during the whole of their professional lives. Embarrassing 
details, and individual hardships, might terrify a military 
reformer from undertaking the task ; but such hardships are 
inevitable in every reform, and it is the duty of a conscien- 
tious and statesman-like reformer to master details, instead 
of being mastered by them. 

A century ago, the anxiety for a division of the Eegiment 
which animated not a few thoughtful oflScers was inspired by 
the longing to create a promotion in the junior ranks, which 
would stimulate zeal, and remove the despair which was 
creeping over them. Not a few subalterns during the Ame- 
rican War, who distinguished themselves, asked and obtained 
as their reward commissions in the Line. The elder officers 
might well become anxious, and look hungrily for any scheme 
which would deter their younger comrades from abandoning 
a service to which they did honour. And in this anxiety we 
may read an explanation of the almost undue delight which 
the creation of the Invalid Battalion, and eight additional 
service companies, with the consequent promotion, produced. 

Not that in the Fourth Battalion there was not another 
minor reason for rejoicing. Its head-quarter staff had accom- 
panied the Battalion almost from the commencement of the 
War ; and there was no one at home to give the same attention 
to the recruiting, as would have been paid by the Battalion's 
own staff. The creation of two new service companies, to 
remain at Woolwich as a Depot for the companies abroad, 
would, it was hoped, ensure more care in recruiting, and, as 
General Pattison wrote ironically, " my friends will not be 
" put to the trouble of sending me any more drafts oi picked 
" men." The recruiting accounts for the various companies 
would also be expedited, for under the existing arrangement 
it too often happened, as the General wrote, that " the Agents 



Chap. XXIX. Desire for Scientific Training. 351 

" have been prevented by more important affairs from bring- 
" ing to any settlement the concerns of those, who are at 3000 
" miles' distance." 

But there were more pleasing subjects of correspondence 
between Woolwich and the out-stations than recruiting or 
promotion. There was a genuine desire springing up in the 
hearts of the more thoughtful officers for a more scientific 
training, a desire which was daily acquiring strength, and 
whose mere existence ensured success ; for those who sought 
it for others, endeavoured by their own exertions to secure it 
for themselves. At this time in the Kegiment's history the 
feeling attained strength and certainty that to be a scientific 
corps was as high an aim as to win battles. Armed science 
was felt to be the aim of study. Something higher than 
mere gallantry, something more durable than brilliancy or 
dcwA, was felt to be necessary in officers of Artillery. 
Inventive genius was encouraged in the professional field; 
individual talent was coaxed and rewarded; and to the 
ordinary Kegimental esprity without which a military life 
would be a mere Valley of Pry Bones, was added scientific 
enthusiasm. There was, doubtless, much haziness as to 
ways and means ; much uncertainty as to the details of the 
closer alliance which it was felt should exist between the 
corps and the scientific world; but there was enthusiasm, 
and a readiness to employ any aids already existing, which 
would certainly ensure success. The foundation of the Boyal 
Military Kepository ; the establishment of such Government 
works as those at Waltham Abbey; the closer connection 
between the Eoyal Laboratory and the Begiment by the 
appointment of Captain Congreve as the Controller of the 
former, — all combined to give increased life and strength to 
the scientific tendencies which might otherwise have lan- 
guished. The feeling which was to find strong and eloquent 
expression from distinguished, although unprofessional lips, 
nearly a century later, in the same Woolwich where it had 
been born, was certainly, albeit dimly, in existence then. 
With what a ring did the words now to be quoted echo in 
the old birthplace of the Begiment ! How grandly did they 






352 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XX IX. 

givo shapo and consistency to the dreams which for a hundred 
years had been haunting those to whom their profession 
was dear ! 

" The two classes," said the eloquent speaker,* " which 
will have an increasing — it may be a preponderating — 
influence on the fate of the human race for some time, will 
" be the pupils of Aristotle and those of Alexander, — the men 
" of science and the soldiers. In spite of all appearances 
" and all declamations to the contrary, that is my firm con- 
" viction. They, and they alone, will be left to rule, because 
" they alone — each in his own sphere — have learnt to obey. 
" It is, therefore, most needful for the welfare of society that 
" they should pull with, and not against, each other, — that 
" they should understand each other, respect each other, take 
" counsel with each other, supplement each other's defects, 
" bring out each other's higher tendencies, counteract each 
" other's lower ones. The scientific man has something to 
" learn of you, which I doubt not that he will learn in good 
" time. You, again, have something to learn of him, which 
" you, I doubt not, will learn in good time likewise. Repeat 
" — each of you according to his powers — the old friendship 
" between Aristotle and Alexander ; and so, from the sym- 
" pathy and co-operation of you two, a class of thinkers and 
'^ actors may yet arise, which can save this nation, and the 
other civilized nations of the world, from that of which I 
had rather not speak, and wish that I did not think, too 
" often and too earnestly. 

" I may be a dreamer ; and I may consider, in my turn, 
" as wilder dreamers than myself, certain persons who fancy 
" that their only business in life is to make money ; — the 
^^ scientific man's only business to show them how to make 
" money ; — and the soldier's only business to guard their 
" money for them. Be that as it may, the finest type of 
" civilized man which we are likely to see for some genera- 
" tions to come will be produced by a combination of the 






* Canon Kingsley, at the R.A. Institution, on October 3nl, 1871. 



Chap. XXIX. Attack on Stony Point, 353 

" tmly military with the truly scientific man. I say, I may 
'^ be a dreamer ; but you at least, as well as my scientific 
"friends, will bear with me, for my dream is to your 
" honour." 

But to return to the operations of the Army in America. 
In the last chapter allusion was made to the successful attack 
made on Stony Point, on the Hudson, by the British troops 
from New York, in which General Fattison took a prominent 
part. Very shortly afterwards a dashing attempt was made 
by the Americans to retake it. The post was considered to 
be safe against any sudden surprise ; but at midnight, on 
the 15th July, 1779, a bold and daring attempt was made to 
retake it, and it was carried by storm in less than twenty 
minutes. The number of the assailants was stated by them- 
selves not to exceed six hundred, under Brigadier Wayne. 
The garrison was nearly -equal in strength, and commanded 
by Colonel Johnson, of the 17th Regiment, an officer of 
considerable experience and reputation; yet the enemy, 
advancing in two or three columns from difierent points, was 
in a few minutes master of the place. The Commandant of 
New York, in his report of the occurrence to Lord Towns- 
hend, said : '' It must, in justice, be allowed to General 
" Wayne's credit, as well as to all acting under his orders, 
'' that no instance of inhumanity was shown to any of the 
" unhappy captives. No one was unnecessarily put to the 
" sword or wantonly wounded. Our loss in killed is not yet 
"ascertained, but it is thought to be trifling, and the 
" number of wounded amounts only to one Captain, four 
" subalterns, and about eight-and-thirty men, of whom is 
" one corporal of the Artillery. The rebels assert that they 
" had only four men killed. Our loss in prisoners is a very 
" serious one — almost the whole of the 17th Eegiment, two 
" companies of the 71st (Grenadiers), about sixty of the 
" Loyal American Corps, and, I am particularly grieved to 
"say, one Captain, one subaltern, four non-commissioned 
"officers, thirty-nine privates, and one drummer of the 
" Artillery. One subaltern (Lieutenant Roberts) made his 

VOL. I. 2 IL 



354 Conclusion of the War. Chap XXIX. 

'' escape by getting to the shore, and swimming near a mile 
" to the ' Vulture ' Sloop of War." * 

As soon as they obtained possession of the work, the 
Americans turned the guns of the fort against the opposite 
post of Verplank's Point, occupied by the 33rd Begiment, 
Ferguson's Corps, and part of the Loyal American Battalion. 
Part of the rebel force, under General Macdougal, threatened 
an attack upon the east side, and repeatedly attempted to 
force the piquets, but without success, for Colonel Webster 
and the troops under his command behaved with great spirit. 
Beinforcements from the camp and from Philipsburg soon 
arrived ; and the enemy, somewhat hastily, evacuated Stony 
Point, demolishing the works as much as possible, and 
carrying off all the brass guns and stores in a large armed 
galley, mounting one 32-pounder and eight 4-pounders, which 
they sent down the river for the purpose. Fortunately, the 
wind was against the vessel on her return ; and Lieutenant 
Douglas, of the Artillery, who was in command of a detach- 
ment at Verplank's Point, opened fire on her with such 
success from an 18-pounder gun, that, after bping hulled 
several times, she was run on shore to prevent her sinking, 
and then set on fire. Lieutenant Douglas, as was mentioned 
in the last chapter, and his detachment, were honoured by 
the thanks of the Commander-in-Chief for their good 
behaviour. " Endeavours were afterwards used to recover 
" the cannon, but as they did not succeed it was presumed 
"that the rebels with their usual industry found some 
" means, under favour of the night, to convey them up the 
" river. Upon the enemy evacuating Stony Point, we once 
" more took possession of it, with the 42nd, 63rd, and 64th 
" Begiments. Captain Ferguson is made Governor, and it 
"is now fortifying with a close work, which it had not 
" before. The Army is since fallen back again from Dobbs's 
" Ferry to its former camp at Philipsburg." * 

The next event worthy of mention is that described by 



' MS. Correspondence of General Pattison, R.A. 

• Official MS. Correspondence, Commandant's Office, New York. 



Chap. XXIX. Attack on Faults Hook. 355 

the Commandant of New York as " a most extraordinary 
" attempt to take by assault the post of Paulis Hook, that 
" has been occupied by the King's troops ever since they 
" took possession of New York." This story has been told 
by American writers, but it will be equally interesting to 
English and American readers to have placed before them 
the official report of the occurrence, made by General 
Pattison to Lord Townshend. " Paulis Hook," wrote the 
gallant General, " is on the Jersey shore, opposite to this 
town, and considered as an appendage to it. I am sorry 
to say the enterprise, bold as it was, succeeded but too 
well, and little to the honour of the defendants. That 
your Lordship may judge of the strength of this post 
from its natural situation and from the works raised for 
its protection, I send the enclosed plan, which will show 
how far it ought to have been out of the reach of insult. 
The troops allotted to garrison it were the 4th Battalion 
of Skinner's Provincial Brigade, under the command of 
Colonel Buskirk, and a part of the Invalid Battalion. 
Major Sutherland, of the Invalid Battalion, was the Com- 
mandant. On the preceding day it was determined that 
Colonel Buskirk should march out a detachment that 
evening, with the design of surprising a party of 100 
rebels near the English neighbourhood. As the garrison 
would thereby be much weakened, the Major applied to 
me for a reinforcement for that night of a Captain and 
forty men, which I complied with, and sent them from the 
Hessian Begiment of Eoiyphausen. At half-past three 
o'clock the next morning advice was brought to me that, — 
firing of musketry being heard at Paulis Hook, — it was 
probably attacked, but having (soon after the command 
was given me of this garrison) established with Major 
Sutherland the signal he was to make in case he should be 
attacked in such force as to require succour from hence, — 
namely, to fire two pieces of cannon and to hang out three 
lights, — and being informed that no cannon had been 
heard or lights seen, I concluded that Buskirk was on his 
return, and that some small party had been harassing lvv& 



i 

* 
356 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

" rear, the firing at that time having nearly ceased. How- 
" ever, I immediately sent over to know what was the real 
" state of the post. Upon the return of the messenger, I 
" was filled with astonishment at receiving a letter from 
"Major Sutherland, saying that the enemy, having got 
" through the abattis, had taken the right-hand and centre 
" block-houses and the principal fort, but that the round 
" redoubt, in which was himself, with a Captain and twenty- 
**five Hessians, had been defended; that the left block- 
" house was likewise safe ; and that the enemy had retreated, 
" carrying off with them the guards of the two block-houses, 
"which (though almost impregnable, except by cannon) 
" were shamefully abandoned, the detachment of Artillery 
" from the fort, and such officers and soldiers as were in 
" their barracks. He further added that he was under great 
" apprehensions of Colonel Buskirk's corps being cut off. I, 
" thereupon, without loss of time, sent over the flank com- 
" panics of the Guards, with 100 men from the Brigade, and 
" nearly the same number of Hessians, with a party of 
" Artillery, under the command of the Field Officer of the 
" day, Lieutenant-Colonel Cosmo Gordon. The light infantry 
" were pushed forward about ten miles ; and Colonel Buskirk, 
" after the c<mp manqui^ made his retreat good to Paulis 
" Hook, without any loss, bringing four prisoners, — and the 
" Guards likewise took a Captain and six prisoners on their 
" march. What is nearly as extraordinary as the enterprise 
" itself and the success of it is, that the enemy, though in 
" full possession of the fort, did not spike a gun, destroy the 

ammunition, or do the least injury to any of the buildings. 

The strength of the garrison at the time it was assaulted 
" was about 200 ; and, by the returns I have received, there 
" were, lixlleiLy four sergeants, two corporals, and three pri- 
" vates ; wounded, two sergeants ; and, taken or missing, four 
"subalterns, seven sergeants, five corporals, and ninety- 
" seven privates. Lieutenant Cockburne, who was the 
" Artillery officer on duty there, says that a soldier came to 
*• the hut where he slept, within thirty yards of the fort, to 
" give him the alarm ; that he instantly flew towards the 






Chap. XXIX. Evacualiofi of Rhode Island. 357 

" fort, but found the enemy masters of it, whereupon he ran 
" to the block-house, and thereby saved himself from being 
" taken prisoner. The Commander-in-Chief was pleased to 
" order a Board of two Brigadier-Generals and three Field 
" Officers to assemble the day following, to inquire into the 
" cause of the affront suffered at Paulis Hook on the morning 
" of the 19th August, 1779, and to report to him thereupon ; 
" and yesterday, having received the opinion of the Board, 
" ho gave orders for putting Major Sutherland in arrest, and 
" for him to prepare to take his trial before a Court-martial, 
" upon a charge of * general misconduct as Commandant of 
•* Paulis Hook on the morning of the 19th inst.' " Major 
Sutherland was ultimately acquitted. 

The demand for Artillery officers became so great that the 
Cadets who were attached to the companies in America were 
commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the autumn of 1779, 
by Sir Henry Clinton, as Commander-in-Chief, " to entitle 
" them to sit at Courts-martial and to command as officers." 
This step, combined with the removal of many officers, who 
were absent on sick leave, to the new invalid companies, 
their places being filled with effective officers, rendered the 
force in America more efficient than it had been at any pre- 
vious period of the war. 

With the year 1780 commenced what may be called the 
Southern epoch of the War of Independence, whose opening 
scene was successful for the British arms, being the capture 
by Sir Henry Clinton of Charlestown, South Carolina. Pre- 
vious to removing so large a portion of the New York garri- 
son to assist in his offensive operations. Sir Henry determined 
to evacuate Khode Island, bringing the troops — British and 
Hessians — with Artillery and stores, to New York. Private 
intimation was given to Lieut.-Colonel Innes, who commanded 
the Artillery on the island, and he was thus able to make the 
necessary preparations for the removal of stores, ammunition, 
and horses. With such care and assiduity did he perform 
the duty, that when the troops reached New York on the 
27th October, 1779, the whole of his guns, stores, and horses 
— with the exception of twenty — came with them. The 



358 Conclusion of i/ie War. Chap. XX IX. 

armament of Ehode Island, which was thus added to the 
defences of New York, consisted of 20 field-gnns, 9 howitzers, 
17 mortars, and 72 iron gnns of various calibres. From 
want of vessels to convey it, over 1300 tons of hay were left 
on the island, a commodity which could ill be spared. The 
enemy made no attempt to molest the troops, either during 
their embarkation or their retreat. 

Notwithstanding the increase just mentioned to the arma- 
ment of New York, the Commandant was unable with the 
guns at his command to arm the new fortifications which he 
had been making. There is a memorandum in the Becord 
Office of the purchase by him of ten 12-pounder iron Swedish 
guns for the new fortified lines near Fort Enyphausen, from 
the North to the' East Kiver. These guns were exposed to 
a careful proof, and were bought at the rate of 16Z. per ton. 

It was immediately after the departure of Sir Henry 
Clinton's force for Charlestown that the intense frost 
occured, mentioned in the last chapter as having closed 
the navigation of New York, and deprived it of its insular 
advantages. It had the efiect of satisfactorily testing the 
loyalty of the inhabitants, and of adding another proof of 
General Pattison's ability and energy. In a report made by 
him to Sir Henry Clinton, dated the 21st February, 1780, 
he sketches the plan he had resolved on in case of attack ; 
and as it is an interesting contribution to the History of the 
War, part of it is now given : — " As General Enyphausen 
" and General Tryon were pleased to approve of my dispo- 
" sition of part of the garrison and militia troops for the 
" internal defence and security of the city and its vicinity, 
" I take the liberty of enclosing a copy of it. If the enemy 
" had crossed over at Harlem, or on the North Kiver any- 
" where to the south of the line of McGowan's Pass, the 
"42nd Regiment, the Brigade of Losberg, and the two 
"Anspach Battalions, were to have advanced to positions 
" which General Knyphausen had fixed upon, from Colonel 
" Clerke's house to the circular Kedoubt on the East River, 
"and several light field-pieces were fixed upon sleighs, 
" ready to march to wherever they might be wanted. In 



Chap. XXIX. General Pattisons Report. 359 

"the Foundry Eedoubt I placed a 24-poimder and two 
" 6-pounder8, with a 13-inch mortar, as commanding a long 
" reach of the North Kiyer ; and in the new Star Fort near 
" it were added three small mortars." 

"The cannon upon the Fort and batteries were kept 
" loaded ; the guard at your Excellency's quarters, as well 
" as all the others along the North Kiver, from the time of 
" the ice being passable, were doubled every evening ; and a 
" night piquet of a Captain and fifty men put on board the 
" ' Earl Cornwallis,' Ordnance transport, which was so placed 
"at the Hay Magazine Wharf that her guns bore up and 
" down the river. An armed galley which lay near had also 
" every evening an officer and twenty-five seamen on board. 
"♦ ♦ * I had almost forgot to mention a little Corps 
" formed from the Baggage and Store Guards left in town, 
" which might be useful, if collected together. I therefore 
" put them under the orders of Major Small, and they made 
" — with those he had of the 84th Regiment — upwards of 
" 200 men. I am sorry to have trespassed so much upon 
"your Excellency's time by giving this long detail, but 
" think it my duty, Sir, to inform you of the several steps 
" and precautions which have been taken for discharging the 
" important trust your Excellency was pleased to honour me 
" with. ♦ ♦ ♦ I persuade myself that the recent proofs 
" of loyalty among so numerous a body of His Majesty's 
" subjects in this town cannot fail to be acceptable to your 
" Excellency, and I shall be happy if the endeavours I have 
" used to give vigour and exertion to it are so fortunate as 
" to be honoured with your approbation. All the Captains 
" of the City Militia, in order to render it as useful as pos- 
" sible, have agreed to and subscribed certain regulations 
" (of which I enclose a copy), for punishing delinquents and 
" for keeping in repair and in good condition all their arms, 
" &c. ; and in order to their being instructed in the use of 
" them, they are to be out every Saturday in the afternoon, 
" and the Associated Volunteer Companies every Sunday i I 
** would therefore presume to hope. Sir, if your Excellency 
" shall please to approve of their 'continuing embodied, that 



.\X\ 



360 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

'^ in a short time so respectable a force as 4000 men in arms, 
" with some knowledge in the use of them, may be capable 
"of giving such protection to this city, as may make a 
"garrison of less strength sufficient in general for the 
" defence of it." * 

In a subsequent letter to Lord George Germaine, General 
Pattison writes as follows : — " I will entreat your Lordship's 
" permission to recite further proof, since the Militia were 
" embodied, of their readiness and goodwill to aid and assist 
" the public service — a piece of justice I owe them. About 
" ten weeks ago the commanding Engineer applied for a daily 
" working party from this garrison of 500 men for com- 
" pleting the }\%i}ier line of defence, agreeable to the orders 
" that were left with him by Sir Henry Clinton, from the 
" North to the East River. As that number could not be 
" given without making the duty of the troops too severe, I 
" sent a requisition to the Associated and Militia Companies 
" to furnish a daily quota of 300 men for the purpose of 
raising one of the new projected Eedoubts. They most 
readily acquiesced, and after thirty days' labour finished 
" the work in a very complete manner, and with as much 
cheerfulness as they began it — taking neither pay nor pro^ 
visions ; — and having thus raised a monument to their own 
" credit, I called it the Citizens' Redoubt, which the Com- 
" mander-in-Chief has been pleased to confirm. A more 
" recent instance of their good disposition to answer one of 
" the useful ends of their being put into military array was 
** shown upon the late move which General Enyphausen 
" made into the Jerseys. It was then thought necessary to 
" take over such a force as reduced my garrison to 700 men. 
" The ordinary guards could not with any safety or propriety 
" be lessened below 400. I was therefore under the neces- 
" sity of calling upon the Militia to act upon that occasion. 
"They most willingly complied, and furnished 150 men 
" with officers in proportion for many days together, which, 









^ MSS. in R. A. Regimental Library. 



Chap. XXIX. Siege of Cliarlestown. 361 

" though attended with loss by quitting their several avoca- 
" tions, was productive of no murmur or discontented ex- 
'^ pressions, and I had . often the pleasure to see citizens of 
"large property standing sentinels over public stores and 
" magazines." 

These extracts are interesting to the ordinary reader, as 
descriptive of New York during the British occupation ; and 
especially interesting to the Artilleryman as evincing the 
great tact with which General Pattison must have governed 
the city. The services of the inhabitants were not merely 
acknowledged warmly by Sir Henry Clinton, but also by the 
King. 

Let the reader now turn for a moment to the military 
operation which had been the main cause of the reduction of 
the New York garrison — the Siege of Charlestown, in South 
Carolina. 

The Artillery on this expedition was commanded by Major 
Traille, or Traile, an officer who has already been mentioned, 
and who died, as a Major-General, in 1795. The fleet, with 
the transports, reached Tybee on the Ist February, 1780, 
after a succession of storms ; — on the 9th they sailed for North 
Ediste; and having reached it on the following day, the 
Grenadiers and Light Infantry landed on John's Island, and 
on the 27th the whole army crossed without opposition to 
James's Island. One of the transports, conveying guns and 
stores, with a detachment of Artillery under Captain Collins, 
foundered at sea during a gale, but fortunately the crew and 
the troops were picked up by a privateer. The stores, which 
were considerable, including 1000 barrels of powder, had to 
be replaced from New York without delay. 

As far as can be ascertained from the records, the guns 
used in the siege were 24-pounders and IS-pounders ; but a 
number of 6-pounders and 3-pounders accompanied the force, ' 
to be employed in the subsequent field operations. It was 
the 1st April before Sir Henry Clinton commenced to erect 
his battery, which he did at a distance of 800 yards from the 
town : and by the 19th April the second parallel " had 
" been carried to 150 yards from the main works, and th<^ 



362 Conclusion of the War. Chap. xxix. 

''(English) batteries had acquired a manifest superiority 
" over those of the besieged.'* ^ 

The services of the fleet under Admiral Arbuthnot had 
been eminently useful. On the 9th April he had availed 
himself of a fair wind and flowing tide, and had passed Fort 
Moultrie — a strong fortification on Sullivan's Island — which 
was intended to defend the entrance to the bar. This step 
took the Americans by surprise. As Lee writes, the uni- 
formly credited opinion that the American naval force could 
successfully stop the enemy from passing the bar — inasmuch 
as their ships would have to be lightened, taking out their 
guns and other incumbrances — was- at the moment of trial 
found fallacious. " It was discovered that the American 
'' frigates could not approach near enough to oppose the 
'' passage of the bar with any kind of success ; and we neces- 
'' sarily abandoned without a struggle this point of defence 
" so much relied on." ^ The summons to surrender imme- 
diately followed; and the answer was that "duty and 
" inclination point to the propriety of supporting it to the 
" last extremity." General Lincoln was in command of the 
garrison — an able and courageous officer, and one who 
possesses additional interest in the eyes of Boyal Artillery- 
men from the fact that he was subsequently exchanged for 
their brave brother officer, General Phillips, of whom more 
will have to be said in this chapter. 

The siege was conducted sternly and without intermission. 
In the words of the American historian " the answer was no 
" sooner received than the British batteries commenced the 
" dire assault, which continued without intermission." The 
investiture of Charlestown, by extending his operations to 
the north of Cooper's Kiver, was Sir Henry Clinton's next 
object. By detaching 1500 men under an excellent officer, 
Lieut.-Colonel Webster, and another whose reputation as a 
dashing officer has lived longer among his enemies than his j 
friends, Lieut.-Colonel Tarleton, he completely succeeded inf 
his purpose. Further reinforcements from New York enabled y 

* C'Ust. * L€C. 



Chap. XXIX. Surreftder of Cliarlestown. 363 

Clinton to strengthen this belt — which prevented the retreat 
of the Charlestown garrison — and Lord Cornwallis assumed 
the command of the forces on the land side. Then followed 
in rapid succession the surrender of Mount Pleasant, Lem- 
priere, and Wando posts, and Fort Moultrie itself. " Soon 
followed the completion of the third parallel, which placed 
the garrison at the mercy of the besiegers. Unwilling, 
from motives of humanity, to increase the hardships of the 
unfortunate, the British Admiral and General a second 
time demanded surrender. Lincoln, now, from necessity, 
yielded up his army ; but still, anxious to save the militia 
and inhabitants from captivity, he excepted them in his 
assenting answer, which exception being declared inad- 
missible, the negotiation ceased. Eeluctantly Sir Henry 
Clinton renewed the contest by opening the batteries of 
the third parallel, and pushed his works under their fire 
to the brink of the canal, which by a sap to the dam was 
drained. ♦ ♦ ♦ The inhabitants became assured that 
the concluding scene could not long be deferred, and 
though heretofore devoted to the defence of the town, now 
with one accord supplicated General Lincoln to relinquish 
the exception made in their favour, and to accept the 
terms proflfered. The amiable Lincoln could no longer 
hesitate in stopping the effusion of blood. He communi- 
cated to Sir Henry Clinton his readiness to lay down his 
arms upon the conditions before offered. Highly honour- 
able was the conduct of the British commanders. They 
did not press the unfortunate, but agreed that the terms 
before rejected should form the basis of capitulation, which 
being soon prepared, signed, and ratified, Charlestown was 
surrendered on the 12th May, 1780, six days after the 
parellel was finished." * 
During, or rather immediately after, the siege, a painful 
occurrence took place, which is thus alluded to in a report 
from the officer commanding the Royal Artillery: — "Al- 
" though your Lordship is doubtless in possession of all the 



Leo. 



364 Conclusion 0/ t/te War. Chap. XXIX. 

" essential particulars relative to the reduction of Charles- 
" town, I nevertheless beg leave to enclose the copy of the 
" return I received from Major Traille of the killed and 
" wounded during the siege of that town. I most sincerely 
*' regret the loss of that valuable officer, Captain Collins, as 
" well as the rest who shared his unhappy fate. The mis- 
" fortune was owing to the incautious proceedings in collect- 
'^ing and assorting the arms of the rebel prisoners in a 
*' house where a quantity of powder happened to be lodged. 
''Besides the officers and soldiers, there was a conductor 
''of stores and several artificers who perished by this 
" accident." ^ 

The rejoicings in New York on receipt of the intelligence 
of the fall of Charlestown are thus described in the Comman- 
dant's official report : — " We were made happy in the fullest 
" degree by the glad tidings of the surrender of Charlestown 
" and its garrison. So universal a joy was spread on the 
"occasion in this city as was never known before; and if 
" there be any who do not really feel it, they at least affect 
"to express it. Permit me. Sir, with the most heartfelt 
" satisfaction to offer my congratulations upon this glorious 
" event." ^ 

In writing to Major Traille, General Pattison said : — " The 
" encomium you give of the good behaviour of the officers 
" and men of the Artillery during the siege of Charlestown 
" cannot fail to be very agreteable to me. I sincerely regret 
" the loss of poor Collins, and all who shared his unhappy 
" fate. The escape young Macleod had upon that occasion 
" was very fortunate." ^ 

In a -very short time after the fall of Charlestown, South 
Carolina was cleared of rebels by the English troops, and 
Sir Henry Clinton returned to New York, leaving Lord 
Comwallis in command. 

The state of affairs in America at this time cannot but 
awaken comment and speculation in the student's mind. 
The speculation may be idle, but it is instinctive. What 



* MSS. in R. A Library. 



Chap. XXIX. Causes of Non-Success. 365 

was the state of the rebel army at this time ? of the rebel 
Government ? of the rebel fleet ? Let their own historian — 
so often quoted here — reply. The army was demoralized, 
neglected, almost mutinous. The Government was imbecile, 
interfering, and incapable. As to naval operations, Lee's 
own words were as follows : — " Every attempt made by the 
" naval force of the enemy during the war succeeded : * * 
" * * and many such operations took place." And yet we 
lost our colonies. 

New York was ours, — thoroughly, loyally ours, in spite of 
all that American writers may say. Canada was ours ; then, 
as now, loyal and true. The great Middle and Western 
States did not exist, which now so swell the strength of the 
great Bepublic in riches and in muscle. And yet we lost 
our colonies. 

Our fleets more than matched their foes; our soldiers 
fought then as well as they have ever fought since. The 
Peninsula, the Crimea, Lidia itself, cannot show in their 
annals more determined courage than was shown in the 
English ranks between 1775 and 1781. And yet we lost 
our colonies. 

Where was the weak place in our harness ? God help us ! 
it was where it will be again if Englishmen do not take 
care ; if Englishmen do not sink class and party differences 
when the word is given to fight ; if Englishmen do not re- 
member that a nation is weak when disunited, and its army 
at such a time is weaker still. 

There was another weak point, and to it we must now 
come in our narrative. Our Generals during this great war 
were brave ; they were even in their way able ; and, as we 
have seen, they were frequently successful. But they were 
in presence of a Master. Pettiness, obstinacy, blundering, 
on the part of his Government might vex and weary Wash- 
ington; reluctance and timidity on the part of his allies 
might at times nearly ruin his plans ; but his courage, his 
skill, his confident hope, survived and surmounted all ob- 
stacles. If one reckons up the qualities which make a 
General, we shall find he possessed them all. Patriotism — 



366 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

it was his almost to an exaggerated extent ; for, having once 
adopted a view which he considered patriotic, he did not care 
to reason. Enthusiasm — would God that every man who 
draws a sword for England had but one-half of that which 
swelled Washington's bosom ! Purity of motives — who can 
think of the scenes which are now historical, when he would 
have resigned the power he had so justly earned, without 
feeling (even after all these years) that he is in the ante- 
chamber of a man who was pure and above reproach ? And 
skill — if any man doubts it, let him think of that scene at 
Yorktown to which this chapter slowly leads. To see one's 
schemes mature so surely and so happily is the highest 
reward for his exertions for which a General can hope ; and 
as in this case it implied that independence for his country 
which had been his sole and unselfish aim, one can conceive 
Washington ready, even then, to resign his command and 
sheath his sword. 

He was to America what Wallace was to Scotland, and 
Garibaldi to Italy ; but he had a larger sphere of action 
than the former, and a more statesmanlike mind than the 
latter. 

With dissension at home, and Washington against them in 
the field, who can wonder that, in spite of continued courage 
and spasmodic success, our armies failed to secure our 

colonies ? 

« « « « « 

There was an acting-bombardier in the Boyal Artillery, 
named Bichard Atkinson Boddy, who died at Woolwich on 
the 18th January, 1837. Animated by the same desire 
which has filled the breast of many an Artilleryman, to com- 
memorate in some durable form the services of his corps, 
Bombardier Boddy commenced to make extracts from all 
military histories which touched on the subject which he 
had so strongly at heart. A manuscript volume of such 
extracts was left by him at his death, and was thus alluded 
to in his will : — " To the library of the non-commissioned 
" officers of the Boyal Artillery I bequeath a manuscript 
*' book of the services of many of the officers, written by 



Chap. XXIX. Battle of Camden, 367 

" myself. In the event of the dissolntion of the library, I 
" will that the book do revert to my father." 

Among the extracts contained in this volume are three, 
referring to the operations in America subsequent to the 
capture of Gharlestown, and describing in detail the affairs 
known as Camden, Ninety-six, and Guildford. 

Before proceeding to other operations, the result of Bom- 
bardier Boddy's industry will be communicated to the reader. 
And if by means of this work any tribute can be paid to the 
memory of a non-commissioned officer, whose esprit^ diligence, 
and unselfish labour are well worthy of imitation, not merely 
will justice have been done, but others may be inspired to 
follow his example. There is no rank in the service in which 
men may not do something, — not merely to add to, but 
also to commemorate, the distinction of the corps in which 
they serve. In the case of the Koyal Artillery this has been 
emphatically proved, not merely by the industrious labourer 
now mentioned, but also by one already quoted, the author 
of ' England's Artillerymen.' ' 

The Battle of Camden was fought on the 16th August, 
1780. Lord Cornwallis commanded the English troops, 
whose total strength did not exceed 2000. General Gtttes — 
who had received General Burgoyne's submission at Sara- 
toga — commanded the Americans, who were nearly 6000 in 
number. The Eoyal Artillery was represented by two sub- 
alterns (one of whom. Lieutenant William Marquois, died on 
the 15th October of wounds received during this action), two 
sergeants, and fifteen men. In spite of the disparity of 
strength, so complete was the victory of the English that 
1000 of the enemy were killed or wounded ; the pursuit by 
Colonel Tarleton and the English cavalry extended as far as 
twenty-two miles ; the whole of the enemy's artillery, a 
large number of waggons, and 2000 stand of arms were cap- 
tured ; and " of the 6000 men who composed Gates's army, 
" not sixty could have again been collected." * The English 
regiments which most distinguished themselves were the 



* Browne, now Bandmaster of the Royal Hone Artillery. 2 Oust. 



368 Conclusicnt of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

23rd, 33rd, and Tlst, nnder Colonel Webster ; and the heaviest 
loss fell npon the 33rd. Four gnns were present with the 
Boyal Artillery ; but on account of the small number of 
gunners, men from the Line or volunteers must have assisted 
in working them. The total number of casualties on the 
English side was as follows : — killed, 70 ; and watMcted, 250. 

The affair called " Ninety-six " in the MS. volume referred 
to is identical with that known as the " Battle of Cowpens.*' 
On this occasion the British were totally defeated, with a 
loss of their guns, two in number. Fortunately for the 
Boyal Artillery, almost equal satisfaction can be obtained 
from this defeat as from many victories. Lord ComwalUs, in 
his despatch to Sir Henry Clinton, wrote as follows : — " In 
" justice to the detachment of Boyal Artillery, I must here 
" observe that no terror could induce them to quit their 
" guns, and they were all killed or wounded in defence of 
" them." This engagement took place in January, 1781. 

The last of the three actions mentioned in the extracts 
referred to, is that known as the " Battle of Guildford." It 
was a victory for the English arms, but a most expensive 
one. Nearly one-third of the Boyal Army was left hors de 
comhat. The Boyal Artillery lost only Lieutenant Augustus 
O'Hara and one gunner killed, and four men wounded. 
Lord Cornwallis could not afford to follow up the victory ; 
and although he captured the enemy's artillery, and the 
American losses far exceeded that of the English, there is no 
doubt that from this day the American spirits rose, and Lord 
Cornwallis's position became serious. The Battle of Guild- 
ford was fought in March, 1781. The American force was 
5000 strong, but about one-half was composed of militiamen, 
who were of little use, and who fled to their homes after the 
battle. The total strength of the British force did not exceed 
2400 of all ranks. Soon after the battle, Cornwallis had to 
commence a retreat. 

It was in this battle that Lieutenant Macleod of the Boyal 
Artillery— afterwards Sir John Macleod— behaved with a 
skill and gallantry which Lord Cornwallis never forgot. If 
the commendation of bis own commanding officer must have 



Chap. XXIX. Major-General Phillips. 369 

been agreeable, how much more that of his enemies ! Lee in 
describing this battle, of which he says, " On no occasion, 
" in any part of the world, was British valour more heroically 
" displayed," singles out young Macleod more than once for 
conspicuous notice. On one occasion he says that one bat- 
talion, which at a critical period had been driven back with 
slaughter, had " its remains saved by the British Artillery." 

Leaving now these three engagements, the reader is 
requested to turn to an operation in the war, in which the 
Commander of the English forces was an Artilleryman. 

In the beginning of 1781 Major-General Phillips, of the 
Eoyal Artillery, who had been a prisoner since the convention 
at Saratoga, was exchanged for the American General Lin- 
coln. He was immediately appointed, by Sir Henry Clinton, 
to the command of a force of 2000 men to watch the French 
and prevent them from sailing for the south. He was then 
ordered to Virginia, to join General Arnold's force, which 
had been ravaging the country almost unopposed, but which 
was now in a somewhat hazardous position. On effecting the 
junction with Arnold, General Phillips assumed the command 
of the united force, numbering now about 3500 men. It was 
a change for the better in every way. Arnold was disliked 
by all under his command, for they never could forget that 
he was a traitor ; and as a soldier he was in every way 
inferior to Phillips. Among the regiments forming the force 
for the service on which Phillips was to be engaged in Vir- 
ginia were the 76th, 80th, Simcoe's Queen's Bangers, some 
German troops, and Arnold's American Legion. On the 19th 
April General Phillips proceeded up James Kiver to Bar- 
well's Ferry, and on the 20th he landed at Williamsburg, a 
body of the enemy's militia retiring on his approach. On 
the 22nd. he marched to Chickahominy ; and on the 25th, — 
early in the forenoon, — ^he set his army in motion for Peters- 
burg, reaching it in the evening. A small encounter with 
some militia took place when within a mile of the town, in 
which the rebels were defeated, with a loss of 100 killed and 
wounded. Lee, in his * Memoirs of the War in the Southern 
Departments,' writes very severely of tk^ 'r^vj ycl ^^\s5v:^ 
VOL. I. ^ \^ 



370 Conclusion of the War. Chap. xxix. 

nntrained militia were exposed by the American Goyernment 
to the attacks of regular troops. His strictures, and the 
lesson he draws from the experiences of this raid in Virginia, 
are worthy of quotation at a time when it is becoming more 
generally recognized in England that the profession of arms 
is one requiring special training as much as any other. 
" What ills," he writes, " spring from the timidity and im- 
" potence of rulers ! In them attachment to the common 
'^ cause is vain and illusory, unless guided, in times of diffi- 
" culty, by courage, wisdom, and concert. ♦ ♦ ♦ When- 
" ever the commitment of our militia in battle with regulars 
" occurs, the heart of the writer is rent with painful emo- 
" tions, knowing, as he does, the waste of life resulting from 
** the stupid, cruel policy. Can there be any system devised 
" by the wit of man more the compound of inhumanity, of 
" murder, and of waste ? Ought any Government to be 
" respected which, when peace permits the substitution of a 
" better system, neglects to avail itself of the opportunity ? 
" Were a father to put his son, with his small sword drawn 
'' for the first time, against an experienced swordsman, 
" would not his neighbours exclaim, * Murderer ! vile mur- 
" derer !' Just so acts the Government, and yet our parents 
'^ are all satisfied, although whenever war takes place, their 
" sons are to be led to the altar of blood. Dreadful apathy ! 
" shocking coldness to our progeny !" 

In Petersburg, and, indeed, wherever the British troops 
went in Virginia, all military stores belonging to the rebels 
were destroyed, and the warehouses with their cargoes of 
tobacco and flour were systematically burnt. Lee is very 
severe in his description of this method of warfare, very 
bitter in his denunciations of the human vultures who follow 
conquering armies, and very ironical in his allusions to the 
tobacco war carried on by the English ; and yet, in the same 
breath, he admits that no human foe went out to meet them 
and give them battle; that everywhere there was, on the 
part of the Americans, "a fatal want of preparation, of 
" military apparatus, and of system." Wanton and pur- 
poseless devastation is strongly to be deprecated in war ; but 



Chap. XXIX. The Raid in Virginia. 371 

was this raid a purposeless one ? The garrison of New York 
had been wofully weakened, and the English troops in the 
south were at times dangerously divided. If the American 
armies could not be drawn apart to meet the English by 
hope of victory, perhaps they might be tempted by the hope 
of saving Virginia from this "so dreadful visitation, pre- 
" cursor of famine and of plague."^ Doubtless there was 
this strategic purpose in the Virginian raid, just as there 
was later in the raid in Connecticut, by which Clinton hoped 
to tempt Washington back from that dreaded march which 
culminated so triumphantly for him at Yorktown. 

Again, even admitting irregularities and excesses not to 
be justified by strategy (although this need only be done for 
the sake of argument, so much exaggeration is there in the 
American accounts of this expedition), were there not special 
reasons which might lead one to expect them ? Who filled 
the ranks of the American Loyalist Begiments which fought 
under Phillips and Arnold? They were men who had lost 
everything for their King, whose homes had been confiscated, 
and who had been outlawed and execrated by their country- 
men because, forsooth, they had come to a difierent opinion on 
a political question. Were these the men to walk through the 
enemy's country with dainty step and gloved hand ? There 
is something brutalizing in war under the most favourable 
conditions; but when the combatants commence with feelings 
of hatred and thirst for revenge, he would indeed be a rare 
disciplinarian who could prevent an occasional outbreak in 
the course of a continued and successful campaign. 

On the 27th April, 1781, General Phillips, with his force, 
marched for Chesterfield Court-house, and detached General 
Arnold to a place called Osborne's. According to some 
accounts, the two forces had again met before the circum- 
stance occurred which is now to be related ; but, according 
to a manuscript book in the Eoyal Artillery Record Office, 
it was while some guns were attached to General Arnold's 
detached force. It is not very material, but as it is to the 

» Lee. 

2 B 2 



372- Conclusion of the War, Chap. XXIX. 

credit of the regiment whose services these pages commemo- 
rate, one would rather believe that General Phillips, — an 
Artilleryman himself, — had been in command, than General 
Arnold. Some armed vessels had been collected in James 
Kiver for a special purpose by the Americans, and either the 
whole or part of Phillips' force marched with a view to secure 
them. In reply to a summons to surrender, the Commodore 
replied that he was determined to defend himself to the last 
extremity. 

Two 6-pounders and two 3-pounders (the latter called 
" grasshoppers " in Lee's account, a favourite nickname for 
these guns, although sternly forbidden to be used in any 
official returns to the Commanding Officer of Artillery) were 
then taken to the banks of the river, with a detachment of the 
Royal Artillery, under Captain Fage and Lieutenant Sogers. 
The King's troops were exposed to the fire of the * Tempest,' 
twenty guns ; the * Eenown,' twenty-six ; the * Jefferson,' 
fourteen ; and several smaller vessels. Some few hundred 
Militia also kept up a fire from the other bank of the river. 
It does not say mucL for the American fire to find it recorded 
that not a single English soldier was hurt. The fire of the 
Royal Artillery seems to have been of a very different 
description. According to one account, so effectual was it, 
that, in a very short time, the ships were obliged to strike 
their colours, and the Militia were driven from the opposite 
shore. From want of boats the English were unable to 
secure their prizes ; and the Americans made their escape> 
scuttling some of their vessels and setting fire to others. 
The loss of the enemy, according to this account, was very 
great, " owing to the well-directed fire of the British 
" Artillery." Lee's account is as follows : " Quickly two 
" sixes and two grasshoppers were brought to bear upon the 
" Commodore ; when he as quickly scuttled and set fire to 
" his vessels, escaping, with his crew, to the northern banks 
" of the river, — one way of * holding out to the last extremity,' 
" but not that commonly understood by the term." Among the 
many services in which the Artillery was engaged during the 
American War, perhaps none were quainter than this success- 



Chap. XXIX. Death of General Phillips, 373 

ful duel between four light field-pieces and an armed squadron 
of no inconsiderable strength, supported by troops on shore.' 

On the 29th April General Phillips marched, with the 
main body, in the direction of Manchester, which he reached 
on the following day, and where he destroyed a quantity of 
stores. General Arnold went, with the remainder of the 
troops, up the river in boats. Although the Marquis de la 
Fayette, with a considerable force, was at Bichmond, and 
saw what was being done, he made no attempt to stop the 
damage ; and on the following day General Phillips returned 
to Osborne's, where the engagement with the ships had 
taken place. Here he became seriously unwell, with a bad 
form of fever ; and although he lingered to the 13th May, 
he was unable to perform any active duty, and was carried 
about in a vehicle until unable longer to leave his couch. 
The army had reached Petersburg before he died. This place 
is described by Lee as '' the great mart of that section of the 
" State which lies south of the Appomattox, and of the 
" northern part of North Carolina, standing upon its banks 
" about twelve miles from City Point, and, after the de- 
" struction of Norfolk, ranking first among the commercial 
" towns of the State." To the Eoyal Artilleryman this 
Virginian town will always have a peculiar interest, as 
having been the scene of the death of as brave and honourable 
a soldier as ever served in the Eegiment. From the glorious 
day at Minden, his professional career of more than one-and- 
twenty years had been one of credit to his corps, honour to 
himself, and usefulness to his country. He had been thirteen 
years in the Regiment before the Battle of Minden, so that 
his total service when he died exceeded thirty-four years. 
He was beloved by all who served with him, and was a model 
for Artillerymen to imitate, in gallantry, ability, \ixA 'progress. 
He was eminently a progressive officer. 

With September, 1781, came the commencement of the 
operations which virtually terminated the war. Sir Henry 
Clinton and Lord Cornwallis held difierent opinions as to 
the mode of prosecuting the war in Virginia: the former 
devoting his energies to the defence of New York ; the latter 



374 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

anxious for increased numbers with which to carry on 
offensive operations. The Home Gt)Yernment was eager to 
secure some point on the southern coast, where the Army 
and Navy could mutually assist one another, and such a 
point Cornwallis was ordered by Sir Henry Clinton to secure. 
The place ultimately selected by him was a village called 
Torktown, on a peninsula between James and York Eivers, 
along with the adjoining village of Gloucester, on the other 
bank of York Eiver. This position he fortified to the utmost 
of his power, and communicated with Sir Henry Clinton at 
New York, with a view to reinforcements being sent to his 
assistance. Washington had completely deceived Clinton, 
and had induced him to believe that New York, not Virginia, 
was the object of the proposed operations of himself and his 
French allies. Taken by surprise by the sudden movement 
to the South now made by Washington and his forces, Clinton 
endeavoured to recall him by invading Connecticut, but 
without success ; and having received an urgent letter from 
Cornwallis on the 23rd September, he called a Council of 
War, and on the 24th he wrote, prdmising to start about the 
5th October with 5000 troops and twenty-three men-of- 
war to relieve him. Had he fulfilled his promise, a great 
disaster would have been spared ; but instead of leaving on 
the 5th, it was not until the 19th, — the very day that Corn- 
wallis, after a weary fortnight's expectation, had been obliged 
to surrender, — that he left Sandyhook ; nor did he arrive off 
the Capes of Virginia until the 24th. 

Of the gallantry of Cornwallis and his troops there has 
never been any question. He did not surrender until his 
ammunition was expended, his defences crumbled under the 
enemy's fire, and hope of succour completely fled. Of the 
gallantry of that portion of his troops in which the reader 
of these pages is most interested, he himself thus wrote in 
his official despatches : " Captain Kochfort, who commanded 
" the Artillery, and, indeed, every officer and soldier of that 
" distinguished Corps, have merited, in every respect, my 
" highest approbation." 

The force of Royal Artillery present at the capitulation 



Chap. XXIX. Capitulation of Yorktown. 375 

of Yorktown amounted to 167 of all ranks. The largest 
number whom Lord Cornwallis had commanded during his 
Virginian campaign did not exceed 233, with fifty additional 
German Artillerymen. But, in addition to casualties before 
the investment of Yorktown, the loss to the Eoyal Artillery 
during the time between the 27th September and the 19th 
October, — the date of the capitulation, — was as follows : — 

Killed 24 

Wounded . . 21 
Missing 2 

There were also nineteen sick, in addition to the wounded, 
on the day the garrison surrendered. 

In this crowning point of the American War the defenders 
were as much outnumbered as Sir Henry Clinton was out- 
manoeuvred by Washington. It is impossible to praise too 
highly the tactics of the latter General on this occasion. 
The difficulties with which he had to contend were numerous. 
A spirit of discontent and insubordination had been mani- 
fested during the past year among his troops ; there was a 
Loyalist party of no mean dimensions in the South; in 
Pennsylvania he could reckon on few active supporters ; and 
New York, — stronger now than ever, after six years of 
British occupation, — seemed hopelessly unattainable. Worse 
than all, however, the French Admiral was nervous, and 
reluctant to remain in so cramped a situation with so large 
a fleet. Had he carried out his threat of going to sea, 
instead of yielding to Washington's earnest entreaties and 
remonstrances, the capitulation would never have taken 
place. Lee's description of the scene on the day the gar- 
rison marched out is doubly interesting, as being that of a 
spectator : " At two o'clock in the evening the British Army, 
"led by General O'Hara, marched out of its lines with 
"colours cased and drums beating a British march. The 
" author was present at the ceremony ; and certainly no 
"spectacle could be more impressive than the one now 
" exhibited. Valiant troops yielding up their arms after 
" lighting in defence of a cause dear to them (because the 



376 Conclusmi oj tfie War. Chap. XXIX. 

" cause of their country), under a leader who, throughout 
" the war, in every grade and in every situation to which 
'' he had been called, appeared the Hector of his host. 
^^ Battle after battle had he fought ; climate after climate 
'' had he endured ; towns had yielded to his mandate ; posts 
" were abandoned at his approach ; armies were conquered 
" by his prowess — one nearly exterminated, another chased 
'' from the confines of South Carolina beyond the Dan into 
" Virginia, and a third severely chastised in that State, on 
'* the shores of James Kiver. But here even he, in the 
" midst of his splendid career, found his conqueror." 

" The road through which they marched was lined with 
" spectators, French and American. On one side the Com- 
" mander-in-chief, surrounded by his suite and the American 
^' staff, took his station; on the other side, opposite to him, 
'' was the Count de Bochambeau in like manner attended. 
" The captive army approached, moving slowly in column 
" with grace and precision. Universal silence was observed 
" amidst the vast concourse, and the utmost decency pre- 
" vailed ; exhibiting in demeanour an awful sense of the 
'' vicissitudes of human fortune, mingled with commiseration 
" for the unhappy. * * * Every eye was turned, 
" searching for the British Commander-in-chief, anxious to 
" look at that man, heretofore so much the object of their 
" dread. All were disappointed. Cornwallis held himself 
" back from the humiliating scene, obeying emotions which 
'' his great character ought to have stifled. He had been 
" unfortunate, not from any false step or deficiency of 
" exertion on his part, but from the infatuated policy of his 
" superior, and the united power of his enemy, brought to 
" bear upon him alone. There was nothing with which he 
" could reproach himself: there was nothing with which he 
" could reproach his brave and faithful army : why not then 
'' appear at its head in the day of misfortune, as he had 
" always done in the day of triumph ? The British General in 
" this instance deviated from his usual line of conduct, 

dimming the splendour of his long and brilliant career.- 
* * By the official returns it appears that the 






Chap. XXIX. The End. 377 

'^ besieging army, at the termination of the siege, amounted 
" to 16,000 men, viz. 5500 Continentals, 3500 militia, and 
"7000 French. The British force in toto is put down at 
" 7107 ; of whom only 4017 rank and file are stated to have 
" been fit for duty." 

With this misfortune virtually ends the History of the 
American War, — certainly as far as the Boyal Artillery's 
services are concerned. Another year, and more, was to pass 
ere even the preliminaries of the Treaty of Independence 
should be signed; and not until 1783 was Peace officially 
proclaimed : but a new Government came into power in 
England in the beginning of 1782, one of whose political 
cries was " Peace with the American Colonies ! " ; and 
Bodney's glorious victory over the French fleet on the 12th 
April in that year made the. Americans eager to meet the 
advances of the parent country. 

Sir Henry Clinton resigned in favour of Sir Guy Carleton, 
and Washington remained in Philadelphia. The companies 
of Artillery were detailed to proceed to Canada, Nova Scotia, 
the West Indies, and a proportion to England, on the evacua- 
tion of New York, which took place in 1783 ; the Treaty of 
Peace having been signed on the 3rd September in that year 
at Versailles. The same Treaty brought peace between 
England and her other enemies, France and Spain, who had 
availed themselves of her American troubles to avenge, as 
they hoped, former mjuries. 

As far as comfort and satisfaction can be obtained from 
the study of an unsuccessful war, they can be got by the 
Boyal Artilleryman in tracing the services of his Corps during 
the great war in America. Bravery, zeal, and readiness to 
endure hardship, adorn even a defeated army; and these 
qualities were in a high, and even eminent degree, mani- 
fested by the Boyal Artillery. In the blaze of triumph 
which is annually renewed in America on the anniversary of 
their Declaration of Independence, Americans do not, it is 
hoped, forget that, whether England's cause was just or not, 
her soldiers were as brave as themselves. 



378 Conclusion 0/ the War. Chap. XXIX. 

A few words may here be introduced with reference to 
such of the officers of the Begiment as were engaged in this 
war, and afterwards obtained high professional reputation. 
A summary of their services may be taken from the valuable 
Appendix to Kane's List. In addition to General Pattison, 
whose career has already been sketched, the following officers 
may be mentioned : — 

1. Major-General Thomas James, an officer who held a 
command during the early part of the War of Independence ; 
who wrote a valuable work on Gibraltar, entitled " The 
Herculean Straits;" and who died in 1780, as a Colonel- 
Commandant. 

2. Lieut.-General S. Cleaveland, an officer who has 
already been mentioned as having commanded the Boyal 
Artillery during the American War, prior to the arrival of 
General Pattison ; who had previously served in the West 
Indies and at the capture of the Havannah ; and who died in 
1794, also in the rank of Colonel-Commandant. 

3. Lieut.-General F. Macbean, an officer frequently men- 
tioned in this volume, as having been present at Fontenoy, 
Bocour, Laffeldt, Minden, Warberg, Fritzlar, and in Portugal. 
He was appointed to the command of the Boyal Artillery in 
Canada, in 1778 ; was elected a Fellow of the Boyal Society 
in 1786 ; and died in 1800, as Colonel-Commandant of the 
Invalid Battalion. 

4. Major-General W. Phillips has already been repeatedly 
noticed in this volume, and his death during the war already 
recorded. 

5. General Sir A. FABRmcKroN, Bart., served in America 
from 1764 to 1768, and from 1773 to 1783, having been en- 
gaged in most of the engagements during the war, up to 
the Capture of Philadelphia, after which he commanded the 
Artillery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. " He commanded the 
" Boyal Artillery at Plymouth in 1788-9, at Gibraltar in 
" 1790-1, at Woolwich 1794-7 and in Holland in 1799. He 
"was D.C.L. of Oxford, and in consideration of his long 
" and valued services he was created a Baronet, on the 3rd 
"October, 1818. He served in three reigns, for the long 



Chap. XXIX. Officers engaged in this War, 379 

" period of sixty-eight years, being at the time of his death 
" the oldest officer in the British service, retaining the use 
*' of his faculties, and performing the functions of his office 
'' to the last." » 

6. Lieutenant-General Thomas Dayies is thus mentioned 
in Kane's List : '' He saw much service in North America 
'' during the operations connected with the conquest of 
'' Canada. At one time (while a Lieutenant) he commanded 
'' a naval force on Lake Ghamplain, and took a French frigate 
" of eighteen guns after a close action of nearly three hours. 
'^ Lieutenant Davies hoisted the first British flag in Montreal, 
'' He served as Captain of a Company in the most important 
" actions of the American Revolutionary War. During his 
" long service he had command of the Royal Artillery at 
'^ Coxheath Camp ; also at Gibraltar, in Canada, and at 
" Plymouth. He was also two years Commandant of 
" Quebec." This officer joined as a cadet in 1755, and 
died as a Colonel-Commandant in 1799. 

7. General Sir Thomas Blomefield will receive more de- 
tailed notice when the story of the Copenhagen expedition, 
in 1807, comes to be written in these pages. His services 
during the American War are thus summarised by Kane's 
List : " Li 1776, Captain Blomefield proceeded to America 
" as Brigade-Major to Brigadier Phillips. Among his ser- 
^' vices at this period was the construction of floating 
'' batteries upon the Canadian Lakes; and he was actively 
*' engaged with the army under General Burgoyne until 
'^ the action which preceded the unfortunate convention of 
" Saratoga, when he was severely wounded by a musket-shot 
'' in the head. In 1780 Captain Blomefield was appointed 
" Inspector of Artillery, and of the Brass Foundry. * * * 
*' From this period (1783) dates the high character of British 
'^ cast-iron and brass ordnance. Major-General Blomefield 
** was selected, in 1807, to command the Artillery in the 
" expedition to Copenhagen, and received for his services on 
'' this occasion the thanks of both Houses of Parliament and 



Kane's List. 



380 Conclusion of the War. Chap. xxix. 

'' a baronetcy." He died as a Colonel-Commandant on 24th 
August, 1822. 

8. Major-Q^neral Bobert Douglas has already been men- 
tioned for his gallantry as a subaltern during the American 
War. In 1795 ho was appointed Commandant of the Driver 
Corps, an office which he held until 1817. He died at 
Woolwich, in 1827, as a Colonel-Commandant of a Battalion. 

9. Lieutenant-General Sir John Macleod has already been 
mentioned in connection with the Battle of Guildford, and 
will receive more detailed notice in the next volume, his 
own history and that of his Begiment being indissolubly 
woven together. It may here be mentioned, however, that, 
" on his return from America, he was placed on the Staff of 
'' the Master-General ; and from this time till his death he 
'' was employed in the important duties of the organization 
'^ of the Begiment, and of the arrangement and equipment of 
" the Artillery for all the expeditions (of which there were 
" no fewer than eleven) during this period. He held suc- 
" cessively the appointments of Chief of the Ordnance Staff, 
" Deputy- Adjutant-General, and Director-General of Artil- 
" lery. He commanded the Boyal Artillery during the 
" expedition to Walcheren in 1809. In 1820 George IV., 
'' desirous of marking his sense of his long and important 
" services, conferred on him the honour of knighthood, and 
" invested him with the Grand Cross of the Boyal Guelphic 
" Order." ^ The whole of his official letter-books, during 
the time he was Deputy-Adjutant-General of Artillery, are 
deposited in the Boyal Artillery Becord Office, and afford a 
priceless historical mine to the student. His letters are 
distinguished by rare ability and punctilious courtesy. 

10. General Sir John Smith, who had been in Canada since 
1773, was taken prisoner by the rebels, at St. John's, in 
November, 1775. In 1777 he was exchanged, served under 
Sir William Howe, and was present at Brandywine Creek, 
Germantown, the Siege of Charlestown, and at Torktown. 
He commanded the Artillery under Sir Balph Abercromby 



Kane's List 



Chap. XXIX. Organic Changes. 381 

in the West Indies in 1795 ; accompanied the Duke of York 
to Holland in 1799 ; and served at Gibraltar from 1804 to 
1814, being Governor of the place at the conclusion of his 
service. He died as Colonel-Commandant in July, 1837. 

Lastly may be mentioned Lieut.-General Sir Edward 
HowoRTH, one of the officers taken prisoner at Saratoga. He 
commanded the Boyal Artillery in later years at the battles 
of Talavera, Busaco, and Fuentes d'Onore. He died as 
Colonel-Commandant of a Battalion in 1821. 

The reader will now enter upon a region of statistics, 
which, at the date of the publication of the present work, 
possess a peculiar interest. 

Quickened as promotion had been by the extensive active 
service, and proportionate number of casualties in the Regi- 
ment, between 1775 and 1782, it was still unsatisfactory ; 
and with a future of peace, it was certain to become more so. 
It was necessary to introduce some remedy, and, in doing so, 
the Board of Ordnance adopted wisely the principle pursued 
in later times by the late Secretary of State for War, 
Mr. Cardwell, and made an organic change in the propor- 
tions of the various ranks, instead of accelerating promotion 
in a temporary, spasmodic way, by encouraging unnecessary, 
impolitic, and costly retirements. Mr. Cardwell, in 1872, 
when shadowing forth his views on this subject to the House 
of Commons, was unconsciously maturing the scheme com- 
menced by the Ordnance in 1782 — commenced, but never 
completed — for the Temple of Janus was not long shut after 
1783 ; and war postponed for many years the necessity of 
accelerating a promotion which had ceased to be stagnant. 
The dullness which followed 1815 was relieved periodically 
by augmentations to the Begiment in the form of other 
battalions ; but the relief was only temporary, and a darker 
shadow than ever loomed on the Eegimental horizon, when 
Mr. Cardwell took office. His remedy was complex; but 
included, in a marked manner, the idea, bom in 1782, of 
reducing the number of officers in subordinate positions, and 
increasing the proportion of field officers. 

By a Eoyal Warrant, dated 31st October, 1782, His 



382 Conclusion of the War, Chap. XXIX. 

Majesty was pleased on the recommendation of the Board of 
Ordnance to declare that " the present establishment of our 
" Royal Regiment of Artillery is in respect to promotion 
" extremely disadvantageous to the officers belonging thereto, 
'' and that the small number of field officers does not bear 
"a due proportion to that of officers of inferior rank." 
With a view to "giving encouragement suitable to the 
" utility of the said corps, and to the merits of the officers 
" who compose it," His Majesty decided that on the 30th 
of the following month the existing establishment should 
cease, and another be substituted, of which the two promi- 
nent features were — as will be seen by the annexed tables — 
a very considerable increase in the number of field officers, 
and the reduction of one second lieutenant in each company. 
It was also decided that the second lieutenants remaining 
over and above the number fixed for the new establishment 
should be borne as supernumeraries until absorbed, and that 
stoppages should be made in the following manner to meet 
the expenses of their pay, viz. : — 

£ t. d. 

From each of the two junior Second Colonels, 45 8 

From each of the two junior Second Lieutenant-Colonels, 2.s. .. 4 

From each of the two junior Second Majors, 5« 10 

From each of the six junior Captains, 45 140 

From each of the six junior Captain-Lieutenants, Is. 4 rf 8 

From each of the six junior First Lieutenants, 8c^ 4 

£2 18 

The annual total of this stoppage —amounting to 1058Z. IO5. 
— was in the first instance applied to the payment of the 
supernumerary second lieutenants, and any surplus that 
might remain was ordered to be divided annually on the 
Slst December (in proportion to their pay) among the several 
officers who were at the time contributing towards it ; and 
it was directed that as soon as the number of second lieu- 
tenants should be reduced to one per company, the stoppages 
should cease to be made. 

The efiect of the alteration in the proportion of officers in 
the various ranks is very distinctly shown by Colonel Miller 



Chap. XXIX. Establishment of the Regiment, 383 

in his pamphlet. Previous to the change, the proportion of 
company to field officers had been as 21 to 1 ; now it became 
as 8J to 1. 

The following tables show (1) the establishment and cost 
of the Kegiment in 1782 prior to the introduction of the 
new system; and (2) the proposed establishment, which 
came into force on the 30th November, 1782. The number 
of company officers — five per company — then fixed, remains, 
to this day, unchanged in the Horse and Field Artillery ; 
but a subaltern per company or battery in the Garrison 
Artillery was reduced by the late Secretary of State for 
War, thus further improving the proportions of the field 
and company officers :— 

1782. — Present Establishment of the Koyal Regiment 

OP Artillery. 

Field and Staff Officers. 

Pay per diem. Pay per annum . 
£ «. d. £ «. (i. 

The Master-General of the Ordnance. Colonel. 

The Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. 
Lieutenant-Colonel . 

4 Colonels-Commandant 448. each. 8 16 3212 

4 Lieutenant-Colonels . . 20«. „ 4 14G0 

4 Majors 15«. „ 3 1095 

4 Adjutants 5«. „ 10 365 

1 Surgeon-General 8 146 

4 Surgeons' Mates . . 3.s. G(/. „ 14 255 10 

4 Quartermasters . . . . Gs. „ 14 438 

1 Bridgemaster 5 91 5 

4 Chaplains 6s. 8ri „ 16 8 486 13 4 

1 Apothecary-General 000 000 

31 

Masteb-Oeneeal's Company of Gentlemen Cadets. 

1 Captain 16 474 10 

1 Captain-Lieutenant 6 109 10 

1 First Lieutenant 5 91 5 

2 Second Lieutenants .. 4«. each. 8 146 
60 Gentlemen Cadets .. 2«. 6cf. „ 7 10 2737 10 

IDrum-Major 14 24 6 8 

1 Fife-Major 14 24 6 8 

67 — 

98 



384 



Conclusion of the War, Chap. XXIX. 



Company of Abtillibt. 

98 Brought forward. 

Pft7 per diem. 

£ f. cL 

1 Captain 10 

1 Captain-Lieutenant 6 

2 First Lieutenants .. 5«. each. 10 
2 Second Lieutenants .. 4«. „ 8 

4 Sergeants 2«. „ 8 

4 Corporals 1». lOci. „ 7 4 

9 Bombardiers . . 1«. 8<?. „ 15 

18 Gunners Is. 4(i. „ 14 

73 Matrosses 1«. „ 3 13 

2 Drummers 1«. „ 2 

116 

1044 Kine Companies more the same .. 73 10 

For service in Jamaica, 

116 One Company more the same . . .. 8 3 4 

SECOND BATTALION. 
1160 Ten Companies of Artillery the same 

as thelat 81 13 4 

TUlllD BATTALION. 

1160 Ten Companies of Artillery as above 81 13 4 

FOURTH BATTALION. 

1160 Ten Companies of Artillery as above 81 13 4 

A FIFTH BATTALION OF INVALIDS. 

Field and Staff Offiosrs. 

1 Lieutenant-Colonel. Commandant .. 10 

1 Major 15 

1 Adjutant 6 

3 

Company of Invalids. 

1 Captain 10 

1 First Lieutenant 5 

1 Second Lieutenant 4 

1 Sergeant 2 

1 Corporal 1 10 

1 Drummer 10 

3 Bombardiers . . . . Is. Sd, each. 5 
6 Gunners Is. 4c^. „ 8 

36 Matrosses Is. „ 1 16 

51 — 

459 Nine Companies more the same .. 32 15 6 

5367 



Taj per annum. 

£ 9. d. 

182 10 

109 10 

182 10 

146 

146 

133 16 

273 15 

438 

1332 5 

36 10 

26827 10 



2980 16 8 



29808 6 8 
29808 6 8 
29808 6 8 



365 





273 15 





91 5 





182 10 





91 5 





73 





36 10 





33 9 


2 


18 5 





91 6 





146 





657 





11962 17 


6 




Chap. XXIX. Proposed p^tatt^j^fke^^^ ^ 
1782. —Proposed EsTAfiiisHMfeNT ftt ; ^npc 

OF ^)aBTn2>^Y. 

Field and S^^St^^cns 

£. f. d, 

The Master-General of the Ordnance. Colonel. 
The Lientenant-CJeneral of the Ordnance. 
Colonel, second. 

4 Colonel-Commandants 44«. each. 8 16 
4 Second Colonels .. 24«. „ 4 16 
4 Lieutenant-Colonels .. 20«. „ 4 
4 Second Lieutenant- 
Colonels 17«. „ 3 8 

4 Majors 15«. „ 3 

4 Second Majors .. .. 15». „ 3 

4 Adjutants 5«. „ 10 

1 Surgeon-Oeneral * 8 

4 Surgeon's Mates .. Zb.M, ,, 14 

4 Quartermasters . . . . 6». „ 14 

* 1 Brigade-Major 5 

4 Chaplains 6«. Se?. „ 16 8 

42 

Masteb-Obnbbal's Company of Gkntlsmsn 

1 Captain 16 

1 Captain-Lieutenant 6 

1 First Lieutenant 5 

2 Second Lieutenants . . 4«. each. 8 
60 Gentlemen Cadets . . 2«. 6€{. „ 7 10 

1 Drum-Major 14 

1 Fife-Major 14 

67 

Company of Abtillxby. 

1 Captain 10 

1 Captain-Lieutenant 6 

2 First Lieutenants .. 5«. each. 10 

1 Second Lieutenant 4 

4Sergeante 2». „ 8 

4 Corporals 1«. lOrf. „ 7 4 

9 Bombardiers .. 1». 8c?. „ 15 

18 Gunners Is, Ad, „ 14 

73Matrosse8 1«. „ 3 13 

2 Drummers 1«. „ 2 

115 — 

1035 Nine Companies more the same .. 71 14 

1259 
VOL. I. 



: Pay per annom. 


3,212 





1,752 





1,460 





1,241 





1,095 





1,095 





365 





146 





255 10 





438 





91 6 





486 13 


4 


Cadxtb. 




474 10 





109 10 





91 5 





146 





2,737 10 





24 6 


8 


24 6 


8 


182 10 





109 10 





182 10 





73 





146 





133 6 


8 


273 15 





438 





1,332 5 





36 10 





26,170 10 






2 c 



386 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 



1259 Brought forwartl. 



O" 



For Service in Jamaica. 

Fftj per diem. Buy per annnm. 
£. c d. £. ». d. 

115 One Company more the same .. .. 7 19 6 2,907 16 8 

SECOND BATTALION. 

1150 Ten Companies of Artillery the same 

asthelst 79 13 4 29,078 6 8 

THIRD BATTALION. 
1150 Ten Companies of Artillery as above 79 13 4 29,078 6 8 

FOURTH BATl^ALION. 
1150 Ten Companies of Artillery as above 73 13 4 29,078 6 8 

FIFTH BATTALION— INVALIDS. 

Field and Staff Offiobbs. 

1 Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant .. 10 365 

1 Major •• •• 15 273 15 

1 Adjutant 6 91 6 



CoMPANT OF Invalids. 

1 Captain 10 182 10 

1 First Lieutenniit 060 91 50 

1 Second Lieutenant 4 73 

1 Sergeant 2 36 10 

1 Corporal 1 10 ' 33 9 2 

1 Drummer 10 18 6 

3 Bombardiers .. .. Is, Sd. each. 6 91 15 

6 Gunners 'U.id, „ 8 146 

36Matros8es Is. „ 1 16 667 

51 

459 Nine Companies more the same .. 32 15 6 11,962 17 6 

5337 £406 16 4 148,488 1 8 

Proposed Establishment .. £148,488 1 8 
Present „ .. 147,393 I 8 

Increase .. £ 1,095 

With the Peace of 1783 came a reduction in the Begiment 
from 5337 of all ranks to 3302, with a saving to the conntry 



Chap. XXIX. Proposed Establishment, 387 

of the difference between 148,488Z. Is. 8d., the cost of the 
old establishment, and 110,570/. 13». 4d., the cost of the 
new. But the reduction and the saving were not effected at 
once. Every allo\^ance was made for existing claims and 
interests ; and for the first year after the Peace of Versailles, 
a charge was allowed of 129,373Z. lis. Two schemes were 
submitted by the Board for carrying out the required reduc- 
tions: one left the number of non-commissioned officers 
untouched ; the other reduced it by one-half and spared the 
privates, who now were to receive the title of gunner uni- 
versally, that of matross being abolished. The first scheme 
was approved, but only as a temporary measure, and many 
of the details were left optional to the captains of companies. 
In the words of the Eoyal warrant, "If in any company the 
" commanding officer and captain should choose to keep all 
*' the four sergeants, the four corporals, the nine bombar- 
" diers, and the eighteen gunners, he will of course have 
" but twenty-two matrosses to retain, and must discharge 
" the remainder, as each company is to consist only of sixty 
" men, whether non-commissioned officers or privates (in- 
" eluding three contingent men), besides the two drummers, 
" so that a company wishing to preserve its present sergeants, 
" corporals, bombardiers, and gunners, will be composed of 
" as follows, viz. : — 

Sergeantn. Corporals. Boxnbftrdleni. Gunner*. Matrosses. ^"Jle?"* Drummers. Total. 
4 4 18 22 8 * 2 = 62 

" But a company choosing to discharge any of their pre- 
" sent sergeants, corporals, bombardiers, or gunners, will 
" have so many more matrosses to keep, and all future 
" vacancies of sergeants, corporals, bombardiers, or gunners 
" will be supplied by matrosses only, until the establishment 
" is brought to 

toteSI^ Contingent 
Sergeants. Corporals. Bombardiers. {^^^ *n^°- Drummers. TotaL 

2 2 3 ;)0 3 2 = 62 

" It is further intended that fifteen men of each company 
" should be artificers in the following proportion, viz. : — 

Carpenters. Smiths. Collar-maker. Wheelers. Tailor. Total. 

4 5 1 4 1 = 15 

2 c 2 






388 Conchisioft 0/ the War. Chap. XXIX. 

" The captains are therefore to endeavour to preserve in each 
" company as many men of those trades as will make np the 
number required ; and should there be in any of the com- 
panies more of one trade than the complement, they will 
'^ be set down as men to be transferred to some other com- 
" pany that may be in want of them. These fifteen artifi- 
" cers, with ten labourers from each company, are to be 
" employed as such at Woolwich, and at the different out- 
posts or garrisons where they may be stationed, and will 
receive the following extra pay, viz. : — 






[One at 2s, per diem. 
Smiths, n'wo at 1«. M, „ Carpenters. 

Two at 1«. „ 



One at 2s. Bd. per diem. 
Two at Is. 3d, „ 
One at Is, „ 



i 



(One at 2«. per diem. Collar-maker. — One at 1«. Sd, per 

Two at Is, Sd, „ diem. 

One at Is. „ Tailor. — One at 1«. Sd, per diem. 

" and the labourers at 9d., for so many days as they work, 
" which will be four in each week, the other two days being 
" reserved for their being trained as Artillerymen. The 
" other twenty-five men per company are to do all the duty 
" of the Regiment." 

" Such men as are entitled to go to the Invalids are to 
** receive the pension, and whom the officers may wish to 
" have discharged will, of course, receive that provision." 

" If any of the sergeants, corporals, bombardiers, or 
" gunners, who from their services are not entitled to the 
" Invalids or pension, should wish to be discharged, and can 
" take care of themselves, they should be parted with in 
" preference to matrosses, as the difference of their pay wiD 
" be a saving to Government, and the establishment wiU 
** approach so much the nearer to what it is intended to be. 
" It is not, however, meant, that men under this description, 
" whom the officers may wish to keep should be discharged, 
" but only such as they can spare without prejudice to their 
" companies. * * * 

(Signed) " Eiohmond." 

All honour to the Duke of Richmond ! No Master-General 
ever penned a more considerate and kindly warrant, and 



Chap. XXIX. Distribution of the Regiment. 389 

none ever more fully realized the speciality of the Artillery 
service. " Without prejudice to their companies :" here is the 
true Artillery unit officially recognized. No word of batta- 
lions: these were mere paper organizations, devoid of all 
tactical meaning. History in the end always preaches 
truth; and at the close of a seven years' season of very 
earnest war, the uppermost thought in the. mind of his 
Grace — the Colonel ex officio of the Eoyal Artillery — was 
the welfare of the companies. 

The pruning-knife had to be used, for the tax-payers of 
England were yet staggering and reeling under the burden 
of wide-spread and continuous hostilities ; but it was to be 
used with all tenderness for the susceptibilities of the true 
Artillery unit, and of the captains through whom the needs 
of that unit found expression. 

The reductions having been decided upon, the following 
was the first distribution of the Begiment after the Peace of 
Versailles : — 

FiBST Battalion. — Six companies were ordered to Gib- 
raltar to relieve the five belonging to the Second Battalion, 
which had been stationed there during the Siege. Four 
companies went to the West Indies, and one was reduced. 

Second Battalion. — The whole ten companies of this 
battalion were ordered to Woolwich. 

Thibd Battalion. — The companies were directed to be 
stationed as follows : five at Woolwich ; one at the Tower ; 
two at Portsmouth ; one at Plymouth ; and one at Chatham. 

Fourth Battalion. — Three companies of this battalion 
were stationed in Jamaica, four in Canada, two at Halifax, 
Nova Scotia, and one in Newfoundland. 

Besides various small detachments in Great Britain, the 
Invalid Battalion had to find the Artillery part of the garri- 
sons of Jersey, Guernsey, Newcastle, and Scotland. It will 
be observed that Ireland is not mentioned, that country being 
garrisoned by the Royal Irish Artillery, which still enjoyed 

a separate existence. 

« « • • • 

On a November night in 1783, a large gathering of Artil- 



390 Conclusiofi of the War. Chap. xxix. 

ler J officers took place at the ' Bull ' Inn, on Shooter's Hill, 
to welcome Colonel Williams and the officers who had served 
during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, on their return to 
England. Among those present were officers who had served 
in the Regiment during the Seven Years' War, in the 
American War of Independence, in the East and West 
Indies, and in Minorca, besides those guests whose deeds 
had attracted such universal admiration. This convivial 
meeting seems a fit standpoint from which to look back on 
the years of the Eegiment's life and growth between 1716 
and 1783. From the two companies with which it com- 
menced, it had now attained forty service, and ten invalid 
companies; and instead of pleading — as was done in its 
infancy — inability to find men for the foreign establish- 
ments, it was able now to furnish Artillery for Canada, 
Gibraltar, and the West Indies, to the extent of twenty 
companies, besides finding drafts for the service of the East 
India Company, one of which had left only a few nights 
before this gathering to welcome the Gibraltar heroes. 

Already the motto — not to be given until 1832 — had been 
earned; already Uhique represented the services of the 
corps; already Quo fas et gloria ducunt represented the 
aspirations of its members. 

Much jealousy had been displayed by the other arms of 
the service ; but it merely served to consolidate the scattered 
Begiment, and to awaken as decided a Begimental esprit, as 
existed in smaller and less distributed corps. The decisions 
on points of diflference had almost invariably been in favour 
of the Boyal Artillery : in 1756 the Artillery were directed 
to take the right of other troops on parade ; and every argu- 
ment as to the status of the officers was answered in their 
favour up to 1751, when all doubt on the subject was removed, 
and all discussion ceased, by the King instead of the Master- 
General signing their commissions. 

On every occasion when the services of the corps were 
required, the zeal and ability of officers and men were readily 
acknowledged; and their conscientiousness in duty was as 
conspicuous as their knowledge of their profession. And 



Chap. XXIX. A Simile. 391 

with this sense of duty and professional skill, came that love- 
able feeling so well described in the words quoted in the 
introductory chapter of this volume. " It has ever been our 
'^ pride, as a corps, to be regarded as one family ; and if one 
" member of it, in any remote part of the world, in any way 
*' distinguished himself, it was felt universally that he had 
'' reflected credit and honour on the whole corps." In this 
gathering among the woods on Shooter's Hill, on that No- 
vember night, this Begimental feeling found expression.^ 
« « « « • » 

Many of the readers of this volume are doubtless familiar 
with the beautiful interior of the new Gtirrison Church at 
Woolwich, the Walhalla of the Eoyal Artillery. Over the 
communion table, memorial windows have been placed by 
the officers of the Begiment, " To the glory of God, and in 
*' commemoration of the services of their Corps during the 
'^ great wars with France and Bussia.'* As autumn deepens 
into winter, and the twilight comes down during the evening 
service, many must have noticed how with the dying light 
all the figures in the painted windows sink away in shadow 
and darkness, with the exception of the centre figure, whose 
pale form — ghastly pale as Bubens' Dead Christ in Antwerp 
Cathedral — seems to start out from the darkness, and become 
more distinct as the others fade away. 

Is the simile far-fetched — it certainly is not irreverent — to 
say that, as out of the gathering chancel-gloom He, the great 
emblem of affection and duty, seems to come and linger 
among his worshippers, so out of the twilight of the receding 
years there seems to stand amid all the dimness and uncer- 
tainty of details — the confusion of figures — the forgetfulness 
of even great facts, a grand eloquent figure of Duty, learnt 



* It may be iDteresting to state here that on the 5th October, 1783, the 
first Committee was chosen to establish a regular Begimental Mess in 
the new barracks on the Common. The entrance subscription was fixed 
at 1/. Is, Hitherto the officers had messed in two public-houses in 
Woolwich, known jocularly as the " Bastion," and " Redan.* The new 
mess-room — afterwards a chapel — was where the Recreation Booms now 
are. 



392 Conclusion of the War. Chap. XXIX. 

— ^— ^— ^— ^— — * 

in stem warfare, impressed in no idle peace, and loyed in 
exact proportion as the heart became inspired by increasing 
esprii, and enlarged by unselfish pride ? 

Duty needs not Ioto, nor encouragement, to make it noble; 
but a warm blush comes into the marble cheek, and a quick- 
ened pulse to the strong heart, when affection and duty go 
hand in hand, and the two great lessons of the God-man — 
love and obedience — blend unconsciously into one. 

During the sixty-seven years of the Regiment's existence, 
at the date when this chapter concludes, this blending had 
gradually and surely been effected; the fierce and selfish 
spirit of the pre-regimental trains had disappeared, and an 
unselfish ambition had taken its place. 

Who shall say that in the sympathy of numbers there is 
not a power incalculable? And who can say that in its 
highest sense this sympathy can be attained without either 
a common object, a common charge, or a common danger ? 
If the Regimental system failed in all else in military life, 
it succeeds in answering these three requisites. A common 
object — the attainment of a glory which can be common and 
yet personal ; a common charge — the great legacy of former 
glory, which a man would be a craven if he let the breath 
of scorn approach ; and a common danger, which on service 
shall knit every man to his neighbour, and in after times 
shall bind them together again by sympathies and memory. 

At times, indeed, the gloom may be great ; the twilight 
may deepen with unnatural and unexpected rapidity ; but 
even among beaten, and dying, and darkening figures, one 
must ever stand out in a Corps which has learnt true dis- 
cipline—a figure which twilight cannot shroud, and which 
even disaster itself at times may illumine, which not even 
monotonous routine, nor seemingly valueless tasks can dim 
— the eternal and divine figure of Duty. 



( 393 ) 



CHAPTER XXX. 

History, Succession op Captains, and Present Designation 
OP the Troops and Companies belonging to the Royal 
Horse Artillery, the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Bat- 
talions. 

ALTHOUGH the Royal Horse Artillery, and the Fifth, 
^ Sixth, and Seventh Battalions were formed subsequently 
to the Peace of 1783, it has been considered desirable to insert 
a summary of the services of the troops and companies in 
this volume, without prejudice to a more detailed statement 
which will be given in the succeeding volume, when their 
formation will be notified in due chronological order. The 
Seventh Battalion brings the reader to the commencement 
of the present century, later than which time it has not been 
deemed necessary, in this volume, to go. 

Commencing with the Royal Horse Artillery, it may be 
mentioned, shortly, that it was formed on the 1st January, 
1793, and at first consisted of two Troops, A and B. On the 
1st November in the same year C and D Troops were added, 
followed, on the 1st November, 1794, by E and F Troops. 
In September 1801, G Troop was formed, in Ireland, out of 
some detachments serving in that country; and in June, 

1804, H Troop was raised at Woolwich. On 1st February, 

1805, I Troop was formed at Colchester, and K Troop at 
Ballinasloe ; L Troop at Woolwich in July of the same year, 
and M Troop also in 1805, although there is a little un- 
certainty as to the month. There were also two Rocket 
Troops, but there is considerable difficulty in tracing their 
exact history. According to the records of the Royal Horse 
Artillery, the Second Rocket Troop was formed before the 
First ; but in this particular, as in another presently to be 
mentioned, these records are inaccurate. The following 



394 Royal Horse Artillery. Chap. xxx. 

would appear to be the true statement of the case. In Jnne, 
1813, some Bocket detachments, under Captain B. Bogue, 
were ordered to Germany, and were present at the Battle of 
Leipsic. In 1814 a Bocket Troop was formed at Woolwich, 
under the command of Captain W. G*. Elliot ; and on the same 
day Captain E. C. Whinyates was appointed to the command 
of the Second Bocket Troop vice Bogue, killed at Leipsic. 
Now, the Battle of Leipsic was fought in October 1813, and 
Captain Whinyates' appointment was not dated until the 2nd 
March, 1814. It would appear, therefore, that the two Bocket 
Troops were formed together , out of existing detachments, and 
that the one formed at Woolwich was named the First, while 
that formed out of the detachments on the Continent was 
called the Second. Although the detachments present at 
Leipsic became the Second Bocket Troop, they were present 
at that battle not as a troop, but as detachments ; and as 
this troop was reduced on 31st July, 1816, their Leipsic 
services, by some mistake, were afterwards credited to the 
First Bocket Troop, which would actually appear to have 
received permission to wear " Leipsic " on its appointments 
in commemoration of the services, not of itself, but of the 
defunct troop. 

In 1847 rocket carriages were given to all the troops, and 
the remaining Bocket Troop became I Troop of the Boyal 
Horse Artillery. 

In addition to the Second Bocket Troop, D Troop also was 
reduced in 1816 ; and, in spite of strong remonstrances, — 
. among others, from the late Sir Bobert Gardiner, then Cap- 
tain of E Troop, — the titles of all the troops below D were 
changed, E, F, G, H, and I becoming respectively D, E, F, 
G, and H. The injury and inconvenience caused by this 
alteration of nomenclature have proved very great. K, L 
and M Troops were reduced at the same time, but being the 
juniors, their reduction did not a£fect the lettering of the 
others. 

In January, 1819, B and G Troops were reduced; but 
on this occasion no alteration was made in the designations 
of the other troops. B Troop was reformed on the 1st May, 



Chap. XXX. Present Designation of Old Troops. 395 

1855, as a reserve half- troop, under a Second Captain, and 
was augmented to a full troop in the following year. G Troop 
was reformed at Woolwich on the 1st December, 1857, and 
also E Troop on the same day. 

On the 1st July, 1859, with the introduction of the Brigade 
System, came an alteration in the titles of the troops, which 
were now designated as Batteries of the Horse Brigade. In 
1862, on account of the amalgamation with the East India 
Company's Artillery, the old Eoyal Horse Artillery became 
the First Horse Brigade of the Eoyal Artillery ; and in 1864, 
to enable the Indian reliefs to be carried on without sending 
the whole of the old Horse Artillery abroad at one time, the 
First Horse Brigade was divided into A and B Brigades of 
the Eoyal Horse Artillery. 

At the date of this work (1872) the following list shows 
the present designations of the old troops, as they stood in 
1859 :— 

A Troop is now called A Battery A Brigade 



B 


>> 


79 * 


B 


99 


A 


J> 


C 


>> 




C 


» 


A 


» 


D 


» 




A 


» 


B 


>> 


E 


» 




B 


>> 


B 


» 


F 


>> 




C 


>> 


B 


>> 


G 


>> 




D 


97 


A 


>» 


U 


>> 




D 


>> 


B 


>> 


I 


J> 




E 


>> 


B 


>> 


K 


» 




E 


>> 


A 


>> 



The military operations in which these batteries have 
been severally engaged, and their succession of Captains, 
will now be given. The more detailed history given of A 
Troop — " The Chestnut Troop " — is attributable to the 
labour taken by its Captain, the late Sir Hew Eoss, who 
completed the records of its active service with his own 
hand. 



396 



Royal Horse Artillery. Chap. xxx. 



A TROOP, RH.A.. 
Now "A" BATTEEY, A BltlGADE. 



wbiStbe 



1811 
1811 
If 11 
1811 

1811 



1812 
1812 
1812 

lril3 



The albira of Ross, Wexford, 

A:id Vini^i: Hill, June. 
Egnimit-oi-Zce on 19th 8ep- 

N^-ar Alkiuiuir on 6th October. 
lletri'nt fium Talavera on 3rd 

August. 
Action ID front of Abncida in 

the Duaa Cusns on 20tb July. 
Action on theCoa on 24th July. 
Battle of Busaco on 27th Sep- 
tember. 
Action at Pombal oa 11th March. 
Action on the Plain in front of 

Bedinha on 12th March. 
Action in front of Cazal Nova 

on 13th March. 
Action at Fos d'Arooco on the 

Ceira on l.^lh March. 
Action at Sabuipl on the Coa 

on 3rd April. 
Battle of b'ucntes d'Onoro on 

6th May. 
Action ill front of Mortagoaon 

Uie ri'zlit bank of the Agneda 

on lOlh July. 
Siege of Ciudad Rodri^o, 

January. 
Sio^e of Badajoz, April. 
Affiur in front of Salamanca on 

16th June. 
Action at Cfislrej(Hi on the 
Giiavena on It^tli July. 
Qattlo of Salamanca < 

Jul,. 

Action on the Huebra 

November. 
Affair in front of 

the advance on Vitloria 

22nd May. 



I 21st 



nl5th 





le TroBB, u f nr «» c«ji lie uwcd, 


duWOlo 


iDtnUucUaii of Bdode Sjwrm. 


InlUt. 




1793 Captain R. Lawaon. 


1794 


„ T. Jndgson. 


1801 


„ G. A. Wood. 


1806 


„ a D. Row. 


1825 


„ W. Cator. 


1837 


„ M. Uuis. 


1837 


„ W. Dunn. 


1841 


„ W. Bell. 


1842 


„ 'i'. G. HiKina- 


1846 


„ H. G. Teesdale. 


1852 


„ A. J. Taylor. 


1854 


„ A. T. PliilEpotts. 


1865 


„ a 8. Henry. 


1857 


„ F. B. Ward. 


1858 


„ G. le M. Tuppr. 



Chap. XXX. "A " Battery, A Brigade. 



397 



" il " Battery, A Brigade continued — 



Battles, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
whioa the Troop has btea. engaged. 



1813 



1813 

1813 
1813 

1813 



1813 
1813 
1813 



1813 

1813 

1813 

1814 
1814 

1814 
1814 
1815 
1856 



Affair near Burgos in the ad- 
vance on Yittoria on 12th 
June. 

Affair at St. Millan and Osmo 
on 18th June. 

Battle of Yittoria on 21st June. 

Daily affairs with the French 
between 22nd and 27th June. 

Action before Pampeluna at 
daybreak when the French 
lost the only two guns they 
brought from Yittoria, on 
25th June. 

Actions in the Pyrenees on 26th, 
27th and 28th July. 

Heights of San Marcial near 
Yrun on 31st August. 

Attack on La Hhune Mountain 
and its chain of heights in 
file Pyrenees on 10th No- 
vember. 

Passage of the Nivelle on 10th 
November. 

Passage of the Nive on 9th 
December. 

Battle of St. Pierre de Grube, 
near Bayonne. 

Passage of the Oave d'Ol^ron. 

Battle of Orthes on 27th Fe- 
bruary. 

Action in front of La Reole on 
the right of the Ghivonne on 
14th March. 

Affairs in front of La Reole, 
almost daily, between 14th 
March and 14th April.^ 

Battle of Waterloo, June 17th 
and 18th, and capture of 
Paris. 

Siege of Sebastopol. 



List of Captains who have socc e s s iyely com- 
manded the Troop, as far as can he traced, 
down to introduction of Brigade System, 
in 1859. 



> The Peninsular operations in which this Troop was engaged are copied from 
Sir Hew Ross's MSS. 



398 



Roval Horse Artillery. Chap. xxx. 



B TROOP, B.H.A., 

Now " B " BATTEBY, A BRIGADE. 



Battles, SiMM, and other Military operations in 
which the Troop has heen engaged. 



List of Captains who hare snoceflslTely oooi- 
manded the Troop, as far as can be traced, 
down to introduction of Brigade Syittem. 
in 1859. 



1798 Affaire of Ross, Wexford, and 


1793 Captain J. Macleod. 


Vinegar llill. 


1795 „ W. H. Homdon. 


1808 Affair of Sahagnn. 


1800 „ B. Bloomfield. 


1809 Affair of Benaventc. 


1806 „ T. Downman. 


1809 Battle of Corunna. 


1810 „ N. W. Oliver. 


1855 Siege of Sebastopol. 


1819 Reduced 2»th FAruary, 




1855 Befarmed Ut May. 




1855 2nd Captain, W. B. Sann 




ders. 




1856 Captain G. V. Johnson. 




1859 „ L. G. Paget 



C TROOP, R.H.A., 

Now " C '• BATTEBY, A BBIGADE. 



1798 Affaire of Ross, Wexford, and 
Vinegar Hill. 

1808 Affair of Sahagnn. 

1809 Affair of Benavente. 
1809 Battle of Corunna. 

1854 Affair on the height of Bul- 
ganak and hattle of the Alma. 
1854 Battle of Balaclava. 

1854 Battle of Inkennan. 

1855 Afiair of Eupatoria on 23rd and 

27th Octoher. (Specially 
thanked hy Officer command- 
ing French cavalry.) 
1855 Siege of Sebastopol. 



I 



I 



1793 Captain E. Howorth. 

1799 „ B. Trehiwney. 

1801 „ G. A. Wood. 

1801 „ F. Griffiths. 

1806 „ H. Evelegh. 

1811 „ E. Wilmot. 

1819 „ J. May. 

1825 „ J. Chester. 

1831 „ C. Blachley. 

1833 „ T. Dyneley. 

1835 „ E. T. Michell. 

1838 „ H. Blachley. 

1841 „ W. B. Ingilby. 

1847 „ E. C. Waide. 

1854 „ G. C. R. Levinge. 

1854 „ H. J. Thomas, 

1856 „ H. F. Strange. 



i 



Chap. XXX. D Troop— ''A " Battery, B Brigade. 399 



D TROOP, R.H.A., 
RedrikeedfiUt July, 1816. 



Battles, Siegea, and other Mtlllary operations In 
which the Troop has heen engaged. 



1810 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1812 
1812 
1812 
1813 
1813 
1814 
1S14 
1815 
1815 



Battle of Busaco. 
Affair at Almeida. 
Battle of Albiiera. 
Affair at Usagre. 
Affair at Aldea de Ponte. 
Affair at San Mimoz. 
Action of Ribera. 
Ford of the Yeltes. 
Battle of Vittoria. 
Battle of the Pyrenees. 
Battle of Orthes. 
Battle of Toulouse. 
Battle of Waterloo. 
Capture of Paris. 



List of Captains who have snooessively com- 
manded the Troop, as for as can be traced, 
down to introdoctioQ of Brigade Qystem, 
in 1859. 



1793 Captain J. M. Hadden. 
G. W. Dixon. 
T. Downman. 
G. Lefebure. 
G. Beane. 
A. C. Mercer. 



1800 
1804 
1806 
1813 
1815 



>» 



i> 



»> 



*t 



i» 



E TROOP, R.H.A., 
Became D on that Troop being reduced in 1816, 

Now " A " BATTEEY, B BBIGADE. 



1812 Siege of Ciudad Rodriga 


1794 C 


apta 


1812 Siege of Forts of Salamanca. 


1796 


f} 


1812 Action on Heights of St. Chris- 


1803 


»> 


toval. 


1806 


f» 


1812 Battle of Salamanca. 


1813 


» 


1813 Affair of Morales de Toro. 


1816 


99 


1813 Battle of Vittoria. 


1823 


» 


1813 Battle of the Pyrenees. 


1825 


» 


1814 Battle of Orthes. 


1833 


>» 


1814 Battle of Toulouse. 


1840 


n 


1815 Battle of Waterloo. 


1846 


>» 


1815 Capture of Paris. 


1853 


»» 


1858 Indian Mutiny, including affair 






at WaskuUy. 


1855 


»f 


1858 Action at Terapoor. 


1855 


9> 


1859 Action at Burode. 


1858 


») 


1859 Affair of Beora. 


1859 


»» 



Captain W. Cuppage. 
G. Soott 
G. B. Fisher. 
R. Maodonald. 
R. W. Gardiner. 
R. Macdonald. 
R. Jones. 
T. Dyneley. 
C. Blachley. 
H. Pester. 
J. E. Dupuis. 
Hon. R. C. 

Spencer. 
J. J. Brandling. 
H. L. Grardiner. 
L. G. Paget, 
G. V. Johnson. 



H. 



Royal Horse Artillery. Chap. XXX. 

F THOOP, R.II.A. (afterward* E), 
Now " B " BATTEBY. B BRIGADE. 



•wa Id IcUodlKdilD ol B 



1813 
1813 
1S13 

1813 
1814 
1815 
1815 



Battle of Viltoria. 

Bk-ge of Sl Sebantian. 

Passage of the BidoKOO. 

Passage of the Nive. 

Affair at Bayonne. 

Battle of Waterloo. 

Capttire of Fans. 

Indian Mutiaj, including aBaii 

at Secundra Gunge. 
ARair at Futtefi»re Cherscj. 
Siege of Lucknow. 
A flair at Arrah. 
Jugdcesporc. 
Bam 1X1 re Eussea. 
Sundry affairti in Oudh ^ainsi 

the rebels. 



791 Captain J. Butter. 

„ E. TreUwney. 

„ G. Cookson. 

„ A. Dnncao. 

„ J. W. Smith. 

„ G. Turner. 

„ T. A. Biandrrth. 

„ G. Cobbe. 

„ W. Sanndera. 

„ P. Sandilaods. 

„ J. Blocanfietd. 

„ D. E. Wood. 

„ E. Price. 

„ J. K. AndersoD. 

„ W. A. Hiddleton. 



G TROOP, B.H.A. (became P iu 1816), 
Now "C" BATTEET, B BRIGADE. 





1801 


Captai 


nG.B. Fisher. 


and RiifiioB Avres. 


1802 


,, 


W.Borth*ick. 


1815 Battle of Waterloo. 


1803 


" 


A. S. Eraser. 


1815 (::ii.|.^]r,. of Paris. 


1815 


" 


A. Dickson. 


1858 -\ctK.uof:^ccui.>lra,Eft«tlDdies. 


1823 




A. Monro. 


1858 Si..|;^ofLuckiK-.w 


1825 


^^ 


E. Y. Walcutt. 


1858 Aftii^rs (vMious) against rebels 


1837 


„ 


W. Dunn. 


in Oudb. 


1837 




M. Louis. 




1842 


"„ 


A-Maotean. 


1858 Fjiabod. 


1848 


^ 


W. B. GUberL 




1866 


„ 


C. C. Young. 




1856 




C. L. D'Aguilar. 




1868 


^ 


Bon. D. HcD. 






Praoer. 



Chap. XXX. "Z?" Batteries y A and B Brigades. 401 



H TROOP, B.H.A. (became Gj, 

Now " D " BATTERY, A BRIGADE. 



Battles, Sieoeft, and other Military operations in 
wUcb Uie Troop has been engaged. 



1809 Siege of Flushing. 
1815 Battle of Waterloo. 
1815 Capture of Paris. 

N.B. — Captain W. NormaB Ramsay, 
who commanded this Troop at Waterloo, 
was killed there in action. 



List of Captains who have suooeesively com- 
manded the Troop, as far as can be traced, 
down to introduction of firigade System, 
in 1869. 



1804 
1815 

1815 
1819 
1857 
1857 



Captain A. MacdonalcL 
,, Wm. Norman Ram- 
say. 
Captain J. May. 
Heduced Slst January, 
Befonned 1«< December. 
Captain H. P. Newton. 



I TROOP, R.H.A. (became H in 1816), 

Now " D " BATTERY, B BRIGADK 



1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 

1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1810 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 
1811 



Affair of Maacal de Chaa 

Affairs of Granga and Cerejos. 

Affair of Bassacona. 

Action of Celerico. 

Affairs of Moita and Mortiago. 

Battle of Busaoo. 

Actions of Plain and Ford of 

Mondego. 
Action at Leyria. 
Action at Rio Mandarillo. 
Action at Alcoentre. 
Action at Guinta de Formes. 
Affair at Canigada. 
Action at Pombal. 
Action at Redinha. 
Action at Cayal Nova. 
Action at Foz d'Arouoe. 
Action at Miranda de Corvo. 
Affair of Maoeira. 
Affair of Sampayo. 
Affair of Bassacova. 
Affair of Celerica. 
Affair of Pega. 
Action of Sabugal. Drove the 

rear-guard of the French across 

the frontier. 



1805 Captain W. Millar. 
1805 „ R. Bull. 
1823 „ B. C. Whinyates. 
1830 „ Hon. W. Arbuth- 

nott. 
1841 Captain F. Warde. 
1847 „ E. F. Grant. 

1854 „ P. H. Mundy. 

1855 .. J. Turner. 



» 



VOL. I. 



2 D 



R^al Horse AriiUery. chap, xxx 



" i) " Bttitery, B Br^iA^ continMi— 



1811 Affair at Almdda. 
18U Battle of Fiienlce d'Onor 
1811 AfiairofKovodAvere. 
1811 Affair of Fiinitos <le Guiualdo. 

1811 j\.;iu.t,f>f AldenPonte. 

1812 Si,'CPofCiii.lBdRodriga 
1812 AftAiraorLlerena. 
1812 Kj.-n of Iladajoi. 

1812 A!T:iir>,ittliefrcaitorSalainanctt 

and at the Tonnes. 
1812 Affairs at VillaTes de la Rdna. 
1812 Affair on the Heighta irf St. 

Chriatoval. 
1812 Siege of the Forts of Salauanca. 
1812 Affairs of Kncda and Villa 

1812 Action of Caatrejou. 

1812 Action above Corniail. 

1812 Affair of Castcllanaa. 

1812 Battle of Salamanca. 

1812 Affair at Aldea Mayor. 

1812 Action at Tiui.'lla, 

1812 Affairs at Dnenuas, Torque- 

mada, and Villaverde. 
1812 Sic-gc.. of Bun?™. 

1812 Affairs of SftiiMimozandOsma. 

1813 r^ltk'ofViHori:., 

1813 Sieso of St. Sehastian. 
1813 Capture of St. Bobastian. 
1813 Action at jiassnge of CiOoHsoa. 
1813 Battle of Nivello and jiassage of 

the Nive. 
1813 Affair at front of Bayoone. 

1813 Passive of i^e Adour. 

1814 InTcatment ofBoyonne. 

1815 Battle of Wnt-rliHi, IBth, !7lh 

and 1 Bth June. 

M.B.— Thi> Troop recciTcd jd Caralry 
Wviuon Order), October 6th, 1810, the 
beet th*Dlu of UaateaeDt-Oeaerd Sir 



Chap. XXX. "^^ Battery, A Brigade. 



403 



*' D " BaUety, B Brigade continued-- 



Battles, Siegea, and other Military operations in 
which the Troop has been engaged. 



List of Captains who have sooosesively com- 
manded the Troop, as far as can be traced, 
down to introdootSon of Brigade System, 
in 1869. 



Stapleton Cotton, for the zeal and activity 
displayed on the 5th October, 1810, and 
at all times during the retreat from the 
frontier. In the Duke of Wellington's 
Despatches of the 16th March and 2nd 
April, 1811, its good services were 
acknowledged at Pombal, Redinha, and 
Sabugal. In the Duke of Wellington's 
Despatches of the 7th April, 181 1, to th« 
Minister of War at Lisbon, its services at 
Pega were mentioned, and crossing the 
frontier on the retreat of the French at 
Val de Mula. 



K TROOP, R.H.A., 

Now " E " BATTERY, A BRIGADE. 



1805 Captoin C. Godfrey. 
1808 „ P. Walker. 

1814 „ Wm. Norman Kam- 
say. 

1815 Captain G. Jenkinson. 

1816 Reduced ZUt July, 
1857 Reformed \tt December, 
1857 Captain C. G. Arbuthnot. 



L TROOP, R.H.A., 
Reduced Zlst July, 1816. 



1805 Captain N. Foy. 

1813 „ R. Macdonald.' 

1816 Reduced Slst July, 



^ This officer was transferred to D 
Troop on the reduction of L Troop. 



2 D 2 



404 



Royal Horse Artillery. Chap. XXX. 



M TROOP, R.H.A., 
BcdLwxd m 1816. 



B«tUas Slmi. and oiber MillUry openiioos In 
which the Troop has be«D engttgnL 



Llik of GapUlns who have njoomdTrly com- 
manded the Troop as fitr as can be traced. 



1805 Captain Hon. W. U. Gard- 



ner. 



l8t ROCKET TROOP (afterwards I TROOP), 

Now " E " BATTEEY, B BEIGADE. 



1854 Affair at the Heigbts of Bul- 


1814 C 


Saptain W. G. Elliott. 


ganak. 


1828 




C. C. Dansey. 


1854 Battle of Alma. 


1837 




T. F. Strangways 


1854 Affair at Mackenzie*8 Farm. 


1846 




N. T. Lake. 


1854 Battle of Balaclava. 


1852 




G. A. Maude. 


1854 Battle of Inkerman. 


1855 




J. J. Brandling. 


1855 Siege of Sebastopol. 









2nd ROCKET TROOP, 
Eeduced Zlsi July, 1816. 



1813 Rattle of Gorde.* 
1813 Battle of Leipsic. 
1816 Battle of Waterloo. 

* Lieutenant T. F. Strangways com- 
manded at this action. 



1813 Captain R. Bogue.' 

1814 .. E. C. Whinyates. 



» 



' This oflScer commanded when it 
consisted merely of Rocket detach- 
ments, and was not yet organixed 
into a Troop. He waa killed at 
Leipsic 



Chap. XXX. The Fifth Battalion. 405 



FIFTH BATTALION. 

On the 14th August, 1794, an augmentation of five com- 
panies to the Koyal Artillery was sanctioned, to be called, after 
organization, the Fifth Battalion. The companies were 
formed, — two at Plymouth and three at Woolwich, — by 
transfers from other battalions. Major-General Duncan 
Drummond was appointed Colonel en aeconde; the first 
Lieutenant-Colonel was Edward Williams; and the Major, 
Bobert Douglas. Captains Bogers and Miller commanded 
the companies formed at Plymouth, and Captains Hutton, 
Harding, and Sproule, those at Woolwich. The following 
was the strength of the five companies :— 

10 Captains and Captain-Lieutenants. 

12 Lieutenants, 15 being the normal number. 

2 Staff Sergeants. 
20 Sergeants. 
45 Corporals and Bombardiers. 

5 Drummers. 
324 Gunners. 

On the 6th March, 1795, five additional companies were 
added to the battalion ; and the total number of companies 
remained ten until the year 1819, when Nos. 7 and 8 were 
reduced ; Nos. 9 and 10 becoming respectively Nos. 7 and 8. 

No very great augmentation to the strength of the 
battalion took place during the earlier years of its existence, 
except in the year 1804, when a second Colonel was added, 
and also twenty men per company. The services of the 
companies were very varied and distinguished, including the 
Campaigns in Egypt, Cape of Good Hope, South America, 
Spain, and Holland. 

Annexed is the history of each Company's active service, 
and the succession of Captains up to the introduction of the 
Brigade System : — 



4o6 



Fifth Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



No. 1 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION, 

Now "F" BATTEBY, Ist BEIGADE. 



BattlM, 8lfl0M, and other MiUtaiy operatioDs in 
whidi ttie Company has been engaged. 



1814 Castino, North America. 
1854 Expedition to the Crimea, and 
Fall of Sobastopol. 



List of Gaptainfl who baTo ffoooeaBively oum- 
manded the Gompany, aa fiir as can be 
traced, down to Introdaction of Brigade 
G^yatem, in 1869. 



1794 


Captaic 


1 Henry Kogers. 


1802 


ft 


Charles Gold. 


1803 


»> 


Heniy Phillott. 


1814 


>i 


Hon. H. Gardner. 


1822 


»» 


Edward Walsh. 


1826 


>f 


A. F. Crawford. 


1837 


»» 


W. Lemoine. 


1838 


»» 


Edmund Sheppard. 


1840 


If 


W. B. Ingilby. 


1842 


If 


J. Bloomfield. 


1842 


ff 


P. H. Sandilanda. 


1846 


If 


W. F. WiUiams. 


1855 


11 


H. A. B. Campbtll. 



No. 2 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION, 

Now " D " BATTEEY, 8th BRIGADE. 



1816 Capture of Guadaloupe. 


1794 C 


lapta 


in James Miller. 


1855 Expedition to the Crimea, and 


1802 


If 


J. H. Camcross. 


Fall of Sehastopol. 


1809 


II 


Robert Douglas. 




1811 


If 


J. Chamberlayne. 




1811 


>f 


F. Campbell. 




1828 


If 


J. Gray. 




1841 


i» 


E. Moi^an. 




1844 


>i 


R, J. Dacrcs. 




1852 


»> 


John Travers. 




1858 


»» 


W. B. Saunders. 



Chap. XXX. " 2 " and "3 " Batteries, 2nd Brigade. 407 



No. 3 COMPANY, 5th BATOALION 

Now " 2 " BATTEBY, 2nd BKIGADE. 



Batiles, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1805 Expedition to the Gape of G<.)od 

Hope. 

1806 Capture of the Cape. 

1806 First Expedition to the River 

Plate. 
1806 Capture of Buenos Ayres. 

1806 Second Expedition to River 

Plate. 

1807 Siege of Monte Video. 

1810 Expedition to the Isle of France. 
1826 Expedition to Portugal. 



List of Captains who have snocessively com- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to mti^uction of Brigade 
Sytitem, in 1859. 



1794 


Captain Henry Button. 


1802 




Alexander Watson. 


1809 




Edward Wilgress. 


1827 




William Dunn. 


1837 




J. L. Smith. 


1846 




W. H. Ask with. 


1855 




G. Colclough. 


1855 




F. W. C. Ord. 


1858 




0. B. B. Woolscv. 



No. 4 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTERY, 2iid BRIGADE. 



1805 Expedition to Hanover. 

1808 Expedition to Portugal and 

Spain. 
1808 Battle of Roleia,* 

1808 Battle of Vimieiro. 

1809 Battle of Corunna. 

1812 Expedition to the Adriatic. 

1813 Siege of Tarragona. 
1851-3 Kaffir War. 

* Captain Geary was killed in com- 
mand of the Company at Roleia. 



1794 Captain John Harding. 



1802 




Henry Geary. 


1808 




Rohert Carthew. 


1809 




James St. Clair. 


1809 




R. J. J. Lacy. 


1827 




H. Jackson. 


1838 




P. Machean. 


1841 




T. A. Lethbridge. 


1851 




H. R. Eardley-Wil- 



mot.* 
1852 Captain Hon. G. T. Deve- 

reux. 
18r)8 Captain W. N. Hardy.* 
1858 „ R. J. Hay. 

' Killed in action during Kaffir 
War. 

* Captain Hardy was killed at the 
relief of Luck now. 



4o8 



Fifth Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



No. 5 COMPANY, 6tb BATTALION, 

Now " 1 " BATTERY, 5th BRIGADE. 



ButtlM, ncfiea, «nd other MtUtory opermtlolu in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1801 Expedition to Egypt. 

1801 Siege of Alexandria. 

1809 Expedition to Walcheren. 

1809 Siege of Flushing. 

1815 Exjiedition to Holland and 

France. 
1815 DetacbmentB present at the 

Battle of Waterloo. 



List of OafiUJns who have Ruroesdvelj com- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1794 
1803 
1812 
1816 
1817 
1825 
1832 
1840 
1841 
1841 
1848 
1858 



» 



M 



Captain F. M. Sjiroule. 
S. G. Adye. 
C. Ilbert 
Thomas Greatley. 
William Boberts. 
K. B. Himt. 
F. Wright. 
H. Slade. 
H. G. Ord. 
R Tomkyns. 
C. L. Fitzgerald. 
C. B. O. Evans. 



No. 6 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTERY, 3rd BRIGADE. 



1801 Expedition to Egypt. 


1795 


Captain John Wood. 


1801 Siege of Fort Aboukir. 


1799 


ff 


G. Cookaon. 


1801 Battle of Alexandria. 


1802 


»> 


Richard Bnckner. 


1801 Siege of Alexandria. 


1803 


ff 


Jno. S. Willian 


1809 Expedition to Walcheren. 




son. 




1813 Expedition to Holland and 


1808 


Captain Richard Bnckner. 


France. 


1811 


ff 


W. G. Elliott. 


1815 Battle of Waterloo. 


1813 


ff 


Charles Tyler. 




1818 


ff 


B. T. Walsh. 




1822 


»f 


Hon. H. Gardner. 




1823 


ff 


A. C. Mercer. 




1835 


f> 


Jos. Hanwell. 




1845 


ff 


T. A. Shone. 




1847 


ff 


C. Gostling. 




1850 


ff 


M. C. Marston. 




1854 


f» 


P. P. G. Scott. 




1858 


ff 


P. D. Margesson. 



\ 



Chap. XXX. ''A " Battery, ^th Brigade. 



409 



No. 7 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION, 
Reduced in 1819. 



Baitlm, Sieges, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1801 Expedition to Egypt. 
1801 Siege of Alexandria. 

1809 Reduction of Fort Dasaix and 

Island of Martiniqae.^ 

1810 Expedition to Guadaloupe. 

> Detachments of the Company had 
been preriously employed in the several 
captures of the enemy's possessions in 
that quarter since the recommencement 
of hostilities in 1803. 



List of Captains who have successively com- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



1795 


Captain George Cookson. 


1799 




I. Wood. 


1802 




A. T. Speannan. 


1803 




Hon. H. Gardner. 


1804 




Brooke Young. 


1808 




Samuel Reynell. 


1814 




ChriB. Wilkinson. 



No. 8 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION, 
Reduced in 1819. 



1799 
1805 
1809 
1810 
1810 
1811 
1813 
1814 
1814 



Expedition to Holland. 
Expedition to Hanover. 
Capture of Martinique. 
Expedition to Portugal. 
Taking of Matagoiad. 
Battle of Baroea. 
Battle of Vittoria. 
Operations against Fort Erie. 
Defence of the Log Bridge. 



1795 Captain P. Riou. 

1803 „ H. Owen. 

1815 .. S. J. Hawlinson. 



» 



No. 9 COMPANY, 5th BATTALION 
(Became No. 7 in 18I9X 

Now "A" BATTERY, 9th BBIGADE. 



1805 Expedition to Cape of Good 


1795 


Captain J. F. S. Smith 


Hope. 


1803 


99 


A. J. Clason. 


1806 Capture of Cape of Good Hope. 


1815 


l> 


Henry Bates. 


1806 First Expedition to River Plate. 


1819 


» 


R. Jones. 


1806 Siege of Buenos Ayres. 


1823 


» 


T. G. Browne. 


1810 Expedition to Isle of France. 


1836 


99 


B. Willis. 


1810 Capture of Isle of France. 


1846 


»» 


J. G. Walker. 


1855 Elxpedition to the Crimea. 


1853 


f) 


R. B. Adair. 




. 1855 


If 


G. T. Field. 



4IO 



Fifth Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



No. 10 COMPANY, 5th BA'ITALION 
(Become No. 8 Company in 1819), 

Now " 5 " BATTEKY, 5th BEIGADE, 



BaUIm, Slegefl, «nd other Military oper»tioDa in 
which tho Compftny has been engaged. 



1799 Expedition to Holland. 


1796 ( 


Daptain B. Stehelin. 


1809 Expeilition to Tortugal. . 


1802 


tt 


Gother Mann. 


1812 Siege of Ciudad l?odrigo. 


1804 


ft 


R. W. Unett. 


1812 Siege of Badajoz. 


1808 


ft 


Edward Wilmot. 


1812 Capture of tho French Works 


1808 


n 


Frederic Glubb. 


at Alviarez. 


1813 


•» 


H. TrelaM-ney. 


1812 Keduction of French fortified 


1816 


>t 


John Brisa^e. 


posts at Salamanca. 


1819 


»» 


Francis Power. 


1812 Siege of Burgos, 


1823 


ft 


W. G. Power. 


1813 Siege of St. Sebastian. 


1827 


«» 


8. Kirby. 


1814 Siege of Bayonnc. 


1834 


»> 


George Pringle. 




1840 


♦» 


A. H. Harrison. 




1844 


»» 


F. Weller. 




1845 


i» 


N. T. Lake. 




1847 


>» 


J. McCoy. 


• 


1855 


»» 


11. Clerk. 




1857 


i» 


\V. L. Dumaroik]. 











List of Captains who have snoccaBively c»m- 
manded the Company, as far ait cain be 
traced, down to intrudnction of Brigwle 
System, in 1869. 



SIXTH BATTALION. 

By a General Order, dated 22nd July, 1799, four com- 
panies of Artillery were raised, and added to two already 
existing, which were designated the East India Detachment, 
to form half a battalion ; and on the 8th October in the same 
year a further augmentation was made, consisting of two 
companies, and a Colonel-Commandant. The addition of a 
Colonel en secofide and two Lieutenant-Colonels completed 
the organization of what was now known as tho Sixth 
Battalion of the Boyal Artillery. The Staff of tho Battalion 
on its formation stood as follows : — 



Chap. XXX. Sixth Battalion. 41 1 



Colonel-Commandant .. Major-General P. Martin. 

Colonel en seconda George Feade. 

Ist Lieut-Colonel Edward Fage. 

2nd Lieut..Colonel8 Ir''^? ^ wn- . 

( Bayley Wiilmgton. 

Captain-Lieutenants i ^^^^l'^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ Adjutant. 

(Andrew Schalch, Quartermaster. 

Tho companies, their stations, and commanding officers 
were as follows : — 

ComiMuiies. CapUini. SUtions. 

No. 1. Brevet-Major E. Lemoine Cape of Good IIopc. 

2. Captain W. Skyring Cai)e of Good Hope. 

3. R. Evans Woolwich. 

4. D. Meredith Woolwich. 

5. W.Millar Woolwich. 

6. B. Bloomfield Plymouth. 

7. G. Salmon Woolwich. 

8. A, Schalch (promoted by augmentation) Woolwich. 

An augmentation of one Major and two companies to the 
battalion, — Nos. 9 and 10, — took place in December, 1800. 

The companies called above ''The East India Detach- 
''ment," which formed the nucleus of the Sixth Battalion, 
embarked at Woolwich for India on the 19th April, 1791. 
They left that country for the Cape of Good Hope in 1798, 
arriving in October of that year, and remained until incor- 
porated in the newly-formed battalion, in 1799. They are 
now Battery 11th Brigade, and No. 6 Battery 5th Brigade. 
Prior to 1799, although part of the Eoyal Begiment of 
Artillery, they belonged to no battalion. 

The following was the strength of the battalion in various 
years: — 

Year. Strength of all Ranks. Year. Strength of all Ranks. 

1800 990 1801 1071 

1802 914 1803 1216 

1804 1259 1805 1415 

1806 1398 1807 1480 

1808 1476 1809 1484 

1810 1484 1811 1524 

1812 1562 1813 1565 

1814 1230 1815 1130 

1816 870 1817 786 

1818 700 1819 604 

1820 567 1821 601 



412 



Sixth Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



From this date until 1847 the average strength of the 
battalion was 650. 



Year. 
1847 
1849 
1851 
1853 
1855 
1857 



Straigth of all Ranks. 

956 

890 

940 
1081 
1375 
1502 



Year. 
1848 
1850 
1852 
1854 
1856 



Strength of all Banks. 
847 

883 
1028 
1218 
1317 



The following was the dress of the battalion at its forma- 
tion, in 1799, as also of the whole regiment, except the 
Horse Artillery. The officers wore blue cloth double-breasted 
coats, with Scarlet lappels ; the field officers had two epau- 
lettes, the company officers only one, which they wore on 
the right shoulder ; white kerseymere breeches ; long black 
leather boots, fastened to the back part of the knee of the 
breeches by a black strap and buckle; and a cocked-hat, 
with gold-loop and button, and white feather. The non- 
commissioned officers and men wore blue cloth coats, single 
breasted, laced in front and on the cuffs and flaps ; the staff- 
sergeants and sergeants with gold lace, and the rank and 
file with yellow worsted lace. The staff-sergeants wore two 
gold bullion epaulettes ; the sergeants two gold-laced straps ; 
the corporals two fringe epaulettes; the bombardiers one 
fringe epaulette on the right shoulder; the gunners two 
worsted straps. 

The changes in dress during the succeeding years will be 
noted in the succeeding chapters of this work. 

Annexed is the list, as in former cjeises, of the various 
companies, their successive Captains, and the military opera- 
tions in which they were engaged. In the Sixth Battalion, 
as in the Horse Artillery, considerable confusion was created 
by the reduction, in 1819, of Nos. 5 and 8 companies, and 
the consequent altering of the numbers of Nos. 6, 7, 9, and 
10 to Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively. The reduction of the 
two junior companies, instead of Nos. 5 and 8, would have 
rendered the student's task a far easier one. 



Chap. XXX. " C" Battery,—'' 6 " Battery. 

No. 1 COMPANY. 6th BATTALION 
(One of the old East India Detachment Companies), 

Now "C" BATTEEY, 11th BEIGADE. 



413 



Buttles, Sieges, &nd other Military operations In 
which the Company han been engaged. 



List of Captains who have saooeasively com- 
manded the Company, as far as can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



1806 Siege of Buenos Ayres. 


1799 


Captain Edmund Lemoine. 


1807 Expedition to La Plata. 


1804 


w 


Nathaniel Foy. 


1855 Expedition to the Crimea and 


1806 




C. C. Bingham. 


Fall of Sebastopol.* 


1807 




P. Dumford. 




1826 




W. Bentham. 


> N.B. — This was the only battery en- 


1832 




I. Whitty. 


gaged at the Battle of the Tchemaya. 


1843 




G. H. Hyde. 




1844 




J. H. St John. 




1846 




R. R. Fisher. 




1849 




W. J. Smythe. 




1855 




E. Moubray. 




1856 




J. Singleton. 



No. 2 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION 
{One of the old East India Detachment Companies), 

Now " 6 '' BATTEBY, 5th BRIGADE. 



1814 Expedition under the command 
of Sir John Sherbrook : pre- 
sent at the capture in the 
Penobscot. 



1799 Captain W. Skyring. 



1806 


>» 


George Crawford. 


1824 


»* 


E. C. Wilford. 


1827 


»» 


R. Douglas. 


1829 


a 


E. Sabine. 


1841 


»f 


A. Macbean. 


1842 


» 


W. J. Stokes. 


1845 


f> 


James Turner. 


1851 


i> 


H. W. Montressor. 


1856 


It 


H. L. F. Grevillo. 



414 



Sixth Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



No. 3 CX)MPANY, 6th BATTALION, 

Now "4" BATTEEY, 2nd BRIGADE, 



Battles, SlegM, and o4li«r Military operaUons in 
which the Company has been engagi-d. 



List of Captains who have saooeasively com- 
manded the Company, as Car aa can be 
trac(>d, down to introdnction of Brigade 
System, in l(j^9. 



1811 Peninsula. 

1812 Siogc and capture of Giudad 

Kodrigo. 

1812 Siege and capture of Badajoz. 

1858 Expedition to China and cap- 
ture of Canton. 



1799 Captain Robert Evans. 



1806 




George Massey. 


1808 




H. F. Holcombe. 


1817 




Charles Egan. 


1818 




P. Gordon. 


1819 




D. Story. 


1831 




R. a Molesworth. 


1842 




Sir H. Chamberlain, 



Bart. 
1843 Captain R. G. B. Wilson. 
1848 „ P. R. Cocks. 
1855 ,. G. Rotton. 



» 



Ko. 4 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION, 

Now "B" BATTEEY, 8th BEIGADE. 





1799 


Captain David Meredith. 


r)4 Expedition to the Crimea and 


1806 




H. Hickman. 


Fall of Sebastopol. 


1807 


m 


C. Baynes. 




1817 




W. D. NicoUs. 




1819 




J. S. Sinclair. 




1826 




D. Bissett, 




1836 




Z. C. Bayly. 




1841 




C. R. Dickens. 




1842 




H. Williams. 




1848 




G. D. Warburton 




1853 




H. Lempriere. 




1854 




A. R. Wragge. 




1855 




C. G. Arbuthnot. 




1857 




C. W. Elgee. 



i 



Chap. XXX. "C" Battery^ Wi Brigade, 



415 



No. 5 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION, 
Bedtbced in 1819. 



Rittles. Si(«es, and other Military operttionB in 


List of Captains who have snooRflsively com- 
mand<Hl the Company, a* &r aa can be 
traced, down to mtrudnction of Brigade 
Syatem, in 1859. 


1800 Expedition to River La Plata. 


1799 Captain William Millar. 


1807 Sies^ and capture of Monte 


1805 „ Charles Go<lfrey. 


Video.» 


1806 „ A. Dickson. 


1807 Present at Buenos Ayres but 


1809 „ Richard Dyas. 


not engaged. 


1818 „ J. P. Cockburn. 


1814 Capture of Genoa. 




> Thanked in Orders by Sir S. Ach- 




muty. 





No. 6 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION 
(Bi^camc No. 5 on that Company being reduced in 1819), 

Now "C" BATTERY, 8th BRIGADE. 



1806 Expedition to Calabria, present 
at the Battle of Maida. 

1806 Siege and Capture of Scylla 

Castle. 

1807 Expedition to Syracuse. 

1809 Capture of Ischia and Prociola. 
1854 Expedition to the Crimea. 



1799 Captain Benjamin Blo<.»ui- 

field. 
1801 Captain John Harris. 



1807 


, Thomas Ghunblc. 


1819 


H. F. Holcombe. 


1819 


, T. Gamble. 


1826 


, H. C. Russell 


1837 


, J. H. Freer. 


1846 


, J. W. Ormsby. 


1851 


, P. U. Mundy. 


1854 


, J. J. Brandlin*;. 


1854 


A. Thompson. 



4i6 



Sixth Battaltofi. 



Chap. XXX 



No. 7 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION 
(^AflertJoard$ No. 6 Company\ 

Now " F " BATTEBY, 8th BEIGADK 



BaUIm, SlegoB. and other MQitoiy opentiona In 
which the Oompany has beoi engaged. 


Liat of Qaptaina who have aocoeniyely ooo 
manded the Companj, aa £ur as can b< 
traced, down to mtrodnction of BrigHk 
^yatem, in 1869. 




1799 Captain George Salmoa. 




1807 


9> 


Charles Egan. 




1817 


n 


H. Holcombe. 




1826 




C. C. Dansey. 




1829 




A. Cameron. 




1838 




J. U. ColquhouD. 




1846 




F. Eardley-WUmot 




1847 




R. B. Bumabv. 




1849 




G. E. Turner. 




1849 




G. R. Barker. 




1854 




N. E. Harison. 




1854 




J. L. Elgee. 



No. 8 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION, 

Reduced in lbl9. 

1799 Captain Andrew Schalch. 
1802 „ G. Bowater. 

1804 „ C. C. Bingham. 

1805 „ Francis Power. 



>i 



No. 9 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION 
(Aftenoards No. 7), 

Now " C " BATTEBY, 9th BBIGADE 



1855-6 Crimea. 



1801 Captain George A. Wood. 



1802 


» 


P. W. Colebrooke. 


1807 


9* 


H. P. Grant 


1812 


l> 


W. T. Skinner. 


1822 


» 


Charles Gilmour. 


1832 


»> 


H. L. Sweeting. 


1843 


» 


T. P. Flude. 


1844 


*9 


H. Stow. 


1850 


»l 


C. J. B. Riddell. 


1855 


9$ 


J. G. Boothby. 



Chap. XXX. 






Battery^ ^rd Brigade. 



417 



No. 10 COMPANY, 6th BATTALION 
{Afterwards No. 8 Company), 

Now " 5 " BATTERY, 3rd BRIGADE. 



Dattlefl, SioRCff, and other Militaiy'operationa in 
which the Company baa been engaged. 



181 1 Capture of Java. 


1801 CaptAin R. E. H. Rogers. 


1815 Capture of Kandy. 


1805 „ C.E. Napier. 


1855 Expedition to Crimea and Fall 


1813 „ W. H. C. Benezet. 


of Sebastopol. 


1816 „ Jno. W. Kettlewell. 




1819 fy L. Carmichael. 




1824 „ D. Grant. 




1836 „ B. H. Vaughan Ar- 




buckle. 




1846 Captain H. J. Morris. 




1848 „ G. M. Glasgow. 




1849 „ W. J. Crawford. 




1855 „ F. W. Hastings. 




1858 „ C. L. D'Aguilar. 



Lirt of Captains who haveanoocMiivGly com- 
manded the Companj, as fkr aa can be 
traced, down to introdaction of Brigade 
Sybtem. in 1869. 



SEVENTH BATTALION. 

The Seventh Battalion of the Boyal Artillery was formed 
on the 1st April, 1801. The Act for the Union between 
England and Ireland received the Boyal assent on the 2nd 
July, 1800, and came into force on the 1st January, 1801. 
From this measure arose, as has been mentioned in a former 
chapter, the incorporation of the Boyal Irish Artillery with 
the older Corps; and it was transferred as the Seventh 
Battalion of the Boyal Artillery, consisting, at the date of 
transfer, of ten companies, with a proportion of Field and 
Staflf officers. The incorporated officers took rank according 
to the dates of their respective commissions ; but they were 
also allowed the option of retiring on full pay, or of taking 
commissions in the Line. The non-commissioned officers 

VOL. I. 2 E 



41 8 Seventh Battalion. Chap. XXX. 



and gunners who were approved for transfer receiyed each a 
bounty of three guineas. 

The following table shows the proportion of ranks, total 
numbers, and rates of daily pay, in the Battalion when first 
formed. 

One GoloDel-Commandant . . 

One Colonel 

lliree Lieutenant-Colonels, each . . 

One Major . . 

Ten Captains, each . . .. .. ' 

Ten Captain-Lieutenants, each 

Twenty First Lien tenants, each .. 

Ten Second Lieutenants, each 

One Adjutant 

One Quartermaster . . 

Forty Sergeants and two Staff Sergeants 

Forty Corporals, each 

Seventy Bombardiers, each 

980 Gunners, each . . 

30 Drummers, each 

Some of the companies were in the West Indies when the 
transfer was effected ; and on reference to the appended list it 
will be seen that much of the active service of the Seventh 
Battalion was carried on in these islands. It was in connec- 
tion with West Indian service that the Battalion obtained a 
distinctive mark, as containing among its companies one 
known always, until the Brigade system was introduced, as 



Doily paj each. 


2 4 





1 4 





1 





15 





10 





7 





6 





5 





5 





6 





Pay of varioiis rates. 


2 


3i 


1 


lOi 


1 


3i 


1 


3i 



" The Battle- Axe Company. 



9> 



The story of the circumstances under which this title was 
earned is worthy of reproduction. The company in question 
was originally No. 8 of the 7th Battalion, but in the year 
1819, No. 7 Company being reduced, No. 8 became No. 7. 
Under the altered nomenclature of 1859, it became and 
now is 

No. 2 Battery, 5th Brigade. 

In the year 1808 the company was quartered in Halifax, 
Nova Scotia. In December of that year it was ordered on an 



Chap. XXX. " 2 " Battery\ ^th Brigade. 419 

expedition for the capture of Martinique; forming part of 
the force under Sir George Prevost, which included the 7th 
Fusiliers, 8th King's, and 23rd Koyal Welsh Fusiliers. 

The force arrived at Martinique on the 30th January, 1809, 
and remained brigaded together during the attack, quite 
distinct from the West Indian division under General Mait- 
land, which had arrived in company with Admiral Cochrane 
and his fleet. On the 2nd February, 1809, the French met 
the Halifax brigade under General Prevost, about half-way 
between the bay where they landed and the town, but were 
driven back with considerable loss. In one day, this company 
prepared and armed a battery of six 24-pounders, and four 10- 
inch mortars, and opened fire on the day following. On the 
24th February the Gtirrison capitulated, for " the British 
** Artillery was so well served, that most of the Fort guns 
" were quickly dismounted."^ The officers of the company 
were assembled by the General to consult as to what should 
bo bestowed on the company as a reward of bravery and good 
conduct. It was first contemplated to give a one-pounder 
French gun, beautifully mounted, but the officers, knowing 
that the company was about to return to Halifax, and a war 
with America likely to take place, when they would be unable 
to take the gun with them, chose an axe and a brass drum. A 
brass eagle was affixed to the axe, which was always carried 
by the tallest man in tlie company, who in virtue of his 
office was permitted to wear a moustache. 

This version of the story was committed to paper by one 
who was present with the company at Martinique, Master- 
Gunner Henry McElsander, who joined it three years after 
the amalgamation, and remained in it until promoted to be 
Sergt.-Major at the Uoyal Military Academy, Woolwich. 
It is completely corroborated by the Kecords of the Seventh 
Battalion, from which the further history of the company 
may be obtained. It returned to Halifax in April, and 
remained in that station until May, 1813, when it sailed for 
Quebec. It served in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 in 

» Cast. 

2 E 2 



420 Seventh Battalion. Chap. XXX. 

Canada. In the winter of the former year it was collected 
in Kingston, Upper Canada, watching the enemy. Acting- 
Bombardier James Keating, being detached with seyen 
gnnners to Michilimackinac, distingnished himself in an 
afifair with the enemy, and his conduct was rewarded by a 
commission from the Provincial Government. The company 
was present at the operations against Fort Erie in Angnst, 
1814, and at the enemy's attack on the English position 
before that place on the 17th September. It was also engaged 
in the defence of the Log Bridge on the Chippawa. The two 
officers present with the company during these hostilities. 
Captain Walker and Lieutenant Garter,^ were specially men- 
tioned in despatches, and received permission to wear 
" Niagara " on their appointments. The company returned 
to Woolwich in 1823, and in 1831 again proceeded on foreign 
service to the West Indies, whence it returned in 1837. Its 
only additional foreign service prior to the introduction 
of the Brigade system was at Gibraltar, where it served from 
January, 1845 to January, 1851, and to which station it again 
proceeded in May, 1855. 

The history, present designation, and succession of 
Captains, of all the companies, will now be given. 



* Lieutenant Carter had been taken prisoner by the enemy's fleet on 
Lake Ontario in 1813, and was closely shut up to be hanged in retaliation 
f<jr deserters. He succeeded, however, in making his escai^e, and after 
travelling 1500 miles of country, joined his company previously to the 
opening of the cami)aign of 1814. 




Chap. XXX. " C " and "/ " Batteries, ist Brigade. 42 1 



No. 1 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Now " " BATTERY, Ist BRIGADE. 



lUttlos, Siofces, and other Military operations in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1803 Capture of the French, Danish, 
and Dutch possessions. 

1809 Reduction of Fort Dasatx. 
1800 Reduction of Martinique. 

1810 Expedition to Guadaloupe. 
1855 Expedition to the Crimea. 



List of Capt-Uns who have succcwivcly com- 
manded the Company, an far a8 can be 
traced, down to introduction of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1794 
1804 

1804 
1804 
1812 
1816 
1817 
1821 
1829 
1831 
1843 
1844 
1844 
1846 
1854 



Captain George Lindsay. 
Edmund Curry. 
H. Douglas. 
Richard S. Brough. 
George Forster. 
J. Bettesworth. 
Charles Gilmour. 
W. T. Skinner. 
James Evans. 
Francis Haultaiu. 
John Dyson. 
J. Sydney Farrull. 
Hy. H. D. O'Brien. 
H. C. Staco. 
E. H. Fisher. 



»* 



» 



i> 



ff 



»» 



}> 



>» 



9» 



l> 



9> 



»> 



f> 



>» 



>l 



No. 2 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Became 1 Company, 3rd Brigade ; was afterwards reduced ; the nou- 
commissioDed officers and men hcing formed into 

" I " BATTERY, 1st BRIGADE. 

1795 Captain Robert Thornhill. 



1809 Battle of Cormma. 



1810 Captain Blaney T. Walsh. 



1818 


9> 


Charles 'l^ler. 


1820 


»» 


Charles G. Alms. 


1821 


It 


Stephen Kirby. 


1827 


>t 


William G. Power 


1835 


»» 


R. Andrews. 


1845 


» 


John Low. 


1851 


» 


John F. Cator. 


1852 


» 


J. B. Dennis. 


1857 


»> 


W. E. M. Reilly. 



422 



Sezftfith Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



Na 3 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTEBY, 12th BRIGADE. 



BottlM, StffiM. and other Military operationB in 
which the Company has been engaged. 



1815 Expedition to Guadaloupe. 
1843 Served in the seyeral Campaigns 
in the Kaffir Wars. 



Lint of Captains who have suocessively oom- 
manded the Company, an Cir as can h? 
traced, down to introdocticm of Brigade 
System, in 1859. 



1800 Captain O. Jackson. 
1804 .. C. H. Fitzmayer. 



t> 



1819 Captain J. P. CKJckbum. 
J. St. Clair. 
J. Longley. 
P. V. England. 
K. Shepherd. 
C. H. Bumaby. 
R. C. Bomer. 
C. N. Lovell. 



1822 
1827 
1833 
1843 
1845 
1853 
1856 



)> 



91 



»f 



♦ » 



}| 



No. 4 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Now " A " BATTERY, Ist BRIGADE. 



1809 Battle of Coninna. 

1815 Expedition to the Netherlands : 
engaged in the reduction of 
the French fortresses in tlie 
north of Fi-ance. 



1801 Captain Edward Pritchanl. 
Blaney T. Wakh. 
Adam Wall. 
James E. Grant. 
B. F. Cleaveland. 
Hon. W. Arbuth- 



1807 
1808 
1818 
1819 
1828 



» 



9) 



» 



)9 



I) 

nott. 



1830 (>aptain George B. Fmser. 
1842 „ H. Stow. 
1844 „ T. P. Fludo. 
1851 „ H. P. Christie. 
1856 „ H. Bent. 
1856 .. C. H. Morris. 



>> 



Chap. XXX " 3 " Battery, 6th Brigade. 



423 



No. 5 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Now " 3 " BATTERY, 6th BRIGADE. 



Battles. Sieges, and other MilitAry operations in 
whicfa the Company has been engaged. 


Liift of Captains who have raooessively com- 
manded the Company, as &r as can be 
traced, down to Intruductlon of Brigade 
System, in IBM. 




1801 Captaii 


• 

i L. O'BrieD. 


« 


1802 


91 


A. Duncan. 


1815 Expedition to Guadalou|)e. 


1803 


>l 


Frederick Walker. 




1808 


»» 


Thomas Masson. 




1811 


» 


Alexander Tulloh. 




1820 


»» 


Stephen Kirby. 




1821 


>» 


C. G. Alms. 




1822 


)l 


R. Gardiner. 




1829 


)> 


Henry Blachlcy. 




1838 


»l 


Mark Evans. 




184G 


l> 


W. B. Heitland. 




1847 


)) 


E. W. Crofton. 




1854 


If 


J. C. Childs. 


• 


1856 


l> 


R. H. Crofton. 




1858 


»9 


G. R. C. Young. 



No. 6 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 

Now "D" BATTERY, nth BRIGADE. 



1809 Engaged at Youga River. 
1809 Engaged at Redouda Egrcga. 
1809 Engaged at the Passage of the 
Douro. 

1809 Expedition to Spain. Battle of 

Talavera. 

1810 Battle of Busaco. 

1810 Battle of Sobral. 

1811 Battle of Foz d'Arouce. 

1811 Battle of Puentes d*Onor. 

1812 Expedition to Spain. 

1813 Battle of CastcUa. 
1813 Siege of Tarragona. 
1813 Blockade of Barcelona. 

1855 Expedition to Crimea, but did 
not disembark. 



1801 Captain 

1804 

1804 

1809 

1814 

1817 

1826 

1827 

1837 

1846 

1850 

1854 

1855 

1858 



»» 
It 
11 
I) 
II 
II 
II 
II 

n 

19 

II 

II 



James Gilbert. 
C. P. Napier. 
C. D. SUlery. 
G. lliompson. 
J. Briscoe. 
H. Trelawney. 
C. Cruttendon. 
J. Darby. 
A. W. Hope. 
W. B. YouDg. 
Edward Price. 
R. W. Brettingham. 
Hon. D. M. Eraser. 
F. W. Hastings. 



4*4 



Seventh Battalion. 



Chap. XXX. 



No. 7 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 
Reduced lU March, 1817. • 



BattlM, SIcgM, and other MlliUiy operations in 
wudi the Comptay baa been engaged. 



1809 Reduction of Fort Daaaix. 

1809 Reduction of the Island of Mar- 

tinique. 

1810 Expedition to Quadaloupe. 



lAA of captains who havea n cc o aively < 
manded the Oompany, as &r as can be 
traced, down to tntroductlaii oC Briffide 
System, in 1869. 



1801 Captain Thomas Dodd. 

1801 „ Charles Neville. 

1802 „ Charles Gold. 
1809 .. J. A. Clement 



** The Battle-Axe Company.'' 

Na 8 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION 

(Became No. 7 on that Company being reduced), 

Now " 2 " BATTEEY, 5th BEIGADE. 



1809 Capture of the Island of Mar- 
tinique. 

1813-14 Campaigns in Canada, in- 
cluding operations against 
Fort Erie, and the engage- 
ment on the Chippawa in 
defence of the Log Bridge. 



1801 
1808 
1808 
1809 
1809 
1821 
1822 
1822 
1825 
1837 
1846 
1854 
1856 



Captain James Viney. 
Richard Dyas. 
William Stewart 
R, J. J. Lacy. 
James St. Clair 
H. Light. 
J. St. Clair. 
J. P. Cockbum. 
S. Rudyerd. 
J. Eyre. 
F. Dunlop. 
J. C. W. Fortescue, 
U. Heyman. 



>9 



t1 



n 



» 



99 



»> 



it 



» 



it 



» 



» 



>t 



Chap. XXX. "AT " Battery, 4th Brigade. 



No. 9 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION 
(Became No. 8 on that Company being reduced), 

Now "K" BATTEEY, 4th BRIGADE. 



4*5 



fiaitlefl, Sieges, and other Mi liUry operations in 
which the Cumpauy has been engaged. 



1803 Engaged in the capture of the 
enemy's poBsessions in West 
Indies from the recommence- 
ment of hostilities. 

1810 Expedition to Guadaloupe. 

1855 Expedition to the Crimea and 
Fall of Sebastopol. 



List of Captains who Imve succossi vrly com- 
manded the Conip.uiy. an far aa can be 
traced, down to iutruduction of Brigade 
System, in 1869. 



1801 


Captair 


\ R. W. Unott. 


1802 


»i 


G. Mann. 


1806 


.!> 


James Power. 


1823 


»> 


J. E. Grant. 


1832 


>> 


W. R. E. Jackson. 


1837 


» 


P. Sandilands. 


1839 


l> 


H. K. Wright. 


1846 


• >l 


G. R. H. Kennedy 


1854 


II 


A. C. Hawkins. 



No. 10 COMPANY, 7th BATTALION, 
Reduced Ut Febrmry, 1819. 



1803 Engaged in the capture of the 
enemy's possessions from the 
recommencement of hostili- 
ties. 

1810 Expedition against Guadalou^x?. 



1801 Captain C. VViilker. 
1808 „ G. W. Unett. 
1810 „ W. Cleevc. 



»> 



N,B, In the Ibts of the Captains who commanded the various companies, the 
names and titles borne by them at the date they commanded have alone been 
given. Very many of these oiHcers afterwards received distinguiiihing titles and 
orders, — but it would not have been historically correct to anticipate their receipt 
of such honours. 



APPENDICES. 



APPENDIX No. 1. 

Chap. IV.— Page 60. 
ROYAL WARRANT. Dated 22nd August, 1682. 



CHARLES B. 

Whereas our Royal progenitors established the number of 
100 gunners with ^ yearly fee payable out of the Exchequer 
and finding that divers of them were such as were not taught 
nor trained up in the practice and knowledge of the Art of 
Gunnery but men of other Professions and that by reason 
of their receiving their fees by virtue of their patents out of 
the Exchequer they did not attend according to their duties 
as well for performance of Our Service as to be exercised and 
trained up in that Art by Our Master Gunner at such time 
as they were required thereunto and also that the places of 
such Gunners and Mattrosses were commonly bought and 
sold to such as would give most money though very unfit 
for the said Employments whereby great inconveniences 
and disappointments were occasioned for prevention whereof 
We thought fit to Authorize Sir William Compton sometime 
Master of Our Ordnance, by Our Warrant under Our Sign 
Manual and Privy Signet, dated 2nd January, in the twelfth 
year of Our Reign from time to time to grant his Warrant 
to such person or persons as he should find fit and able to be 
Entertained as fee'd Gunners in Our Service and Order that 
the future payments of their respective fees should be placed 
upon and made good to them out of Our Ordinary and 
entered into the quarter books of Our Office and likewise 



App. I. Warrant of Charles II. 427 

We did empower Sir Thomas Cliicheley late Master of Our 
Ordnance by Our like Warrant bearing date 16th January 
in the 22nd year of Our Eeign to cause Our Master Gunner 
or such other person as he should think fit to examine all 
the Gunners and Mattrosses then employed within Our King- 
dom of England Dominion of Wales or town of Berwick-on- 
Tweed commanding them to be subject to him and the Suc- 
cessive Masters of Our Ordnance for the time being and that 
if he should find any of the said Gunners or Mattrosses unfit 
or unable to execute their several places he or they should 
remove or cause them to be removed or dismissed from their 
said employment and after such removal or after the death 
resignation or voluntary departure of any such Gunner or 
Mattross to commissionate and empower such Gunners or 
Scholars as should be certified by Our Master Gunner of 
England to be able to execute the duty of a Gunner or 
Mattross in the place or places of such as should by him or 
them be removed or be dead or have voluntarily resigned 
without any fees or reward except Common Fees : — 

And whereas on the 8th day of February last the Lords 
appointed a Committee to inspect and examine the present 
state and condition of the Tower have represented unto Us 
that whereas the number of the Gunners which belong to 
the Ofiice of the Ordnance is One hundred whose pay is 
sixpence per day each and many of them of other trades and 
not skilled in the Art of Gunnery and that it was their 
opinion that if this number were reduced to sixty efiective 
men whose pay might be twelve pence per diem and they 
required to lodge in the Tower and duly exercised that it 
would be much more useful for Our Service. Upon due con- 
sideration of all which We have thought fit to dissolve the 
said number of One hundred Gunners and do declare they 
are hereby dissolved and that the said number from hence- 
forward shall be reduced to the number of sixty eflfective 
men and no more and we do by these empower authorize 
and appoint Our right trusty and well-beloved Councillor 
George Legge Esq. Master-General of Our Ordnance to 
elect sixty good able experienced and sufficient men for 



428 Warrant 0/ Charles II. App. i. 

Gunners and three Mates to Onr Master Qnnner of England 
to be chosen out of the best Gunners or fittest or ablest men 
for Our Service and to allow each Gunner twelve pence per 
diem and to each Mate 2s. %d. per diem. 

And to the end that the said Gunners and Masters may 
be bound to a more strict performance of their duty Our 
Will and Pleasure is and We do hereby Authorize and 
empower Our said Master-General of Our Ordnance from 
time to time to grant his Warrant to such person or persons 
as he shall choose qualified as aforesaid for whose encourage- 
ment We hereby direct and appoint that the said allowance 
\o the said Gunners of twelve pence per diem and to the said 
Mates of 2s. &d. per diem be placed and made good to them 
out of Our Ordinary of Our Said Office of Our Ordnance and 
that an order thereunto shall be entered into the quarter 
books of the said Office without paying any fees or reward 
excepting only the Ordinary fees for drawing and recording 
the said Warrants or Commission in Our said Office. And 
We further require and direct that the said Gunners to be 
chosen as aforesaid be constantly exercised by Our Master 
Gunner of England once a week in winter and twice a week 
in summer and to be kept to their duty either in Our Tower 
of London or in whatever other place or places they shall by 
you Our Master General of Our Ordnance be thought fit to 
be disposed hereby requiring and commanding all the said 
Gunners and Mates to observe and obey such Orders and 
directions as shall be given unto them by Our said Master 
General or by any other Master General of Our Ordnance 
for the time being or the Lieutenant General of Our Ord- 
nance and the principal Officers of Our Ordnance in your 
Absence for the better behaviour of themselves in Our Ser- 
vice. And We do hereby further Authorize and empower 
you the said George Legge M.G.O.E.O. and the Successive 
Masters of the said Office for the time being if he or they 
shall find the said Gunners or Mates unfit or unable to 
execute their several and respective places from time to 
time to remove or cause them to be removed and dismissed 
from their said several and respective places and to place 



App. 2. Warrant of William III. 42g 

others fitly qualified for such Employment in their several 
and respective places. 

And as for all other Gunners of Garrisons Forts Castles 
Blockhouses or Bullworks or Traines that are or shall be 
appointed You are to govern yourself as by Our Warrant 
bearing date 6th January 1671 &c. &c. 

By His Majesty's Command. 

^Signed) Conway. 

To Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor 
George Lbooe E$q, M.0,0, 



APPENDIX No. 2. 

Chap. IV.— Page 61. 

ROYAL WARRANT establishing a Regimental Train of 
Artillery, to be composed of officers and men who had 
served on the old and new Establishments, and chiefly 
to find employment for Artillerymen who had served 
under William III. in his trains in Flanders. 



WILLIAM B. 

Whebeas Wee have thought fitt to dismiss as well the Trayne 
of Artillery that hath Served Us during the late Warre in 
Flanders as also the several Traynes that have been em- 
ployed in Our Service by Sea, Yet that such persons as have 
served Us well and faithfully during the Warr might have 
some reasonable provision made for their subsistence in time 
of peace And for having a Trayne of Artillery in greater 
readiness to march upon any occasion for the necessary 
defence of Our Realme and Dominions Wee have thought 
fitt to direct that a Small Trayne of Artillery should be 
composed of such persons as had served Us well in y*^ said 
Trayne durying the Warr. And the Annexed Scheme of 
such a Trayne of Artillery having been accordingly prepared 
and laid before Us for Our approbation. Wee have perused 



43 o Warrant of William III. App. 2. 

and considered thereof and do hereby approve of and esta- 
blish y* same to be entertayned in Our Service and kept in 
Our pay in time of peace untill such tyme as Wee shall 
think fitt to signify Our further pleasure therein. Our 
Will and Pleasure therefore is And Wee do hereby authorize 
and direct y^ out of such money as shall at any time be paid 
into the Treasury of Our Ordnance on accompt of Land Ser- 
vice to cause the severall sums and yearly allowances men- 
tioned in y*^ said Annexed Scheme amounting in y*^ whole to 
Four Thousand Four Hundred Eighty-Two Pounds and 
Tenn Shillings to be paid to the respective Officers Engineers 
Gunners and others therein mentioned the said allowances 
to commence from the fifth day of this instant May and to 
be continued durying Our pleasure And Wee do hereby 
further Authorize and Empower y^ as often as any Occasion 
shall happen on this Our Establishment by the Decease of 
any person now placed there upon or otherwise to fill up the 
same with such persons as have served in any of the above 
mentioned Traynes and could not at present be provided for 
or with such other persons as shall apply themselves to 
study the Mathematicke and duly qualify themselves to 
serve as Engineers Fireworkers Bombardiers or Gunners on 
Our said Establishment. And for so doing this shall be as 
well to y^ as the Auditors of Our Imprest and all other Our 
Officers therein concerned a sufficient Warrant Given at Our 
Court at Kensington this 24th day of May 1698 in y® tenth 

year of Our Beign. 

By His Majesty's Command. 

Ja. Vernon. 

To Hekby, ^arZe </ Romnby, M.G.O. 

A Eegimental Trayne of Artillery to consist of Field Officers 
and four Companies of Gimners w"* Engineers, Firemasters, Fire- 
workers, and Bombardiers as followeth : — 

Collonel Pay^rannom, 

Lieutcnant-CoUonel addition to his pay on y* old Estab* . . 55 5 

Major addiciJn vt supr' .. .. .. .. 50 

Comptroler addicon vt supr' . . . . . . i5 5 

Adjutant.. .. .. .. .. .. „ 60 

Carried forward jBfilO 10 



APP. 2. 



Warrant of IVilliam III. 



431 



Brought forward .. 

FIRST COMPANY. 

Gaptaine .• 

First Lieutenant 

Second Lieutenant 

2 Gouts of the Ordnance p' on the old EstaV. 

2 Sergeants at 1' 6^ p. diem each 

15 Gunners paid on the old Estab^ 

15 Gunners more at 12' each p. diem. . . 

SECOND COMPANY. 

Captaine .. 

First Lieutenant .. 

Second Lieutenant 

2 Gtots of Ordnance at £40 p. annum each 

2 Sergeants at 1' 6** each p. diem. 

15 Gunners p' on the old EstaV. 

15 Gunners more at 12 p. diem. 



Pay per annum. 
£ «. d. 

.. 210 10 



100 

no 

40 

54 15 

273 15 



100 

(10 

40 

80 

54 15 

273 15 



THIRD AND FOURTH COMPANIES : Same as Second. 1217 

ENGINEERS. 



f> Engineers at 100 p. ann. each 
4 Sub Engineers at 50 „ 
2 Fi remasters at 100 p. ann. each 
12 Fireworkers at 40 „ 

12 Bombardiers at 36* 10" „ 



COO 

200 

200 

480 

438 



TV 



lotul £4482 10 



Names of Officers of William's Peace Tuain. 1098. 

Colonel. 

Iii(;utcnant-C<>loncl George Browne. 

Major .. John SigismondSchhmdt. (Siicccetled by Major 

John Henry Hoiwkc on IkI Feb. 1099.) 
Controller .. James Pendlebury. 
Captain .. Albrecht Borgard. Adjutant. 



Captains 



Fircnia-stcrs 



Jonas Watson. 
Edwanl Gibbon. 
Edmund Williamson. 
William Bousfield. 
John liCwis Schlundt. 
liobort Giiybon. 



43^ 



Warrant of George /. 



Ist Lieutenants 



2nd Lieutenants ., 



Engineer Captains 



Ralph Wood. 
Thomas RashelL 
Peter Gelmnyden. 
George Brittenatein. 
Joseph Durdero. 
Andrew Bonnell. * 
Edward Glover. 
George Spencer. 
Roger Coibume. 



Lewis Petit Des Etans. 
Daniel Sherrard. 
Albrecht Borgard. 
George Conrade. 
Isaac Francis Petit. 



App. 3. 



On 14th Fob. 1699, an addition to the Regt. was made of — 

£ 
6 Engineers at £100 each p. ann. .. 600 



)) 



4 Sub „ 60 

6 Gent, of Old*' 40 

12 Bomb" at 36 10 

60 Gunners „ 18 5 

(S^ ROMNET.) 



200 

240 

438 

1095 

£2573 



\ 



APPENDIX No. 3. 

Chap. VII.— Page 81. 

IIOYAL WAERANT for the establishment of two Com- 
panics of Artillery, dated 26th May, 1716. These 
companies were never reduced, and represent the in- 
fancy of the Eoyal Ecgiment of Artillery. 



GEORGE B. 

Whekeas Our Right Trusty and Right entirely beloTed 
Cousin and Councillor John Duke of Marlborough Master 
General of Our Ordnance hath laid before Us a representa- 



App. 3. Warrant of George /. 433 

tion of Our Principal Officers of Our Ordnance setting forth 
the inconveniences and defects of the present Establishment 
of the Military Branch of Our said Office amounting to 
16,8297. \\%. 3(2. and therewith a scheme showing that a 
greater number of Gunners Engineers and other proper Offi- 
cers may be maintained for less than the present expense. 
And whereas by Our Warrants of the 27th November 1715 
two Companies of Gunners and Mattresses were raised for the 
service of Our Artillery sent upon the late' Expedition to North 
Britain and having been found always necessary that a suffi- 
cient number of Gunners with proper Officers should be main- 
tained and kept ready for Our Service. And whereas it has 
been represented unto Us by Our said Master General of 
Our Ordnance that there are several salaries now vacant 
of the present old Establishment which are not useful and 
that other savings may be made by which part of the two 
said Companies may at present bo maintained. It is our will 
and pleasure that the said vacancies and savings be imme- 
diately applied for the payment and maintenance of one 
Sergeant three Corporals thirty Gunners and thirty-two 
Mattresses being such as have served well abroad during the 
late Wars and are not otherwise provided for and as other 
salaries shall become vacant in the said military branch that 
you apply the same to complete the pay of the rest of the 
Officers and others according to the annexed list, whic^ with 
their respective pays We do hereby approve and establish 
and for so doing this shall be as well to you as to the Audi- 
tors of Our Imprest and all other Officers concerned a suffi- 
cient Warrant. Given at Our Court of St. James's this 26th 
day of May 1716 in the second year of Our reign. 

By His Majesty's Commands 

(Signed) James Stanhope. 

To Our liiyht Trusty and Eight Entirely 
fxilovetl Cousin atnl Councillor John 
Dpkk of Marluoroucii, Master 'Gene- 
ral of Ordnance, 

VOL. I. 2 P 



434 



Establishment of 1 720. 



App. 4. 



Establishment for two Companies of Artilleiy with their respeo- 



tive pays and employments : — 



Captain 

First Lieutenant 
Second Lieutenant 
Third Lieutenant 



and Fireworkers 



Fourth da ) 

3 Sergeants, each 

3 Corporals, each 

3 Bombardiers, each 
30 Gunners, each 
60 Mattrosses.. 

One Company more, same rate 

Total 



Par dicoL 


Perannmn. 


108. 


£182 10 





65. 


109 10 





58. 


91 5 





48. 


73 





38. 


64 15 





28. 


109 10 





U8</. 


91 5 





l8.8d 


91 5 





l8.4i;. 


730 





l8. 


912 10 





• • • • 


2,445 10 





• • • • 


£4,891 






APPENDIX No. 4. 

An account of the Master Gunners and other Gunners upon the 
Establishment of Guards and Garrisons for the year 1720, with a 
proposal for some alterations more advantageous to the Service, 
without exceeding the sum granted for that purpose : — 




KewPropoML 



J!Ji^'Gan.«..«SS;,«««»"' 



Berwick . . 

Blackness .. •• 

Calshott Castle 

Carlisle 

Chester 

Clifford's Fort 

Dumbarton 

Dartmouth 

Edinburgh Castle .. 

Gravesend and Tilbury 

Guernsey .. 

Hull and Blockhouse 

Hurst Castle 

Holy Island 

Jersey 

Landward Fort .. 

St. Maw*s •• 

Pendennis .« 

Carried forwai-d 



* * 



vruuuciB. 




\jruiuicrB. 






6 




6 




1 




1 




3 


1 X 


2 




S 




3 




3 




2 




4 




4 




1 




1 




1 




2 




3 




3 




10 




12 




4 




4 




6 




6 




8 




2 




2 




1 




8 


1 ■*■ 


8 




6 ; 1 


3 




1 1 


1 




2 1 1 


2 


18 


67 


1 19 


1 63 



App. 4. Establishmmts 0/ I'jio and 1 7 2 1 . 43 5 



Account of Gunnbbs — continued. 





•• 




EBtablishment 
1720. 


New ProposaL 




Gu^'<^^«"- 


ICastor 
Ounnera. 


Ounnen. 


Brought forward .. 


18 


67 


19 


63 


Plymouth and St. Nicholas' Island 




2 


18 


2 


18 


Portland Castle .. 








3 


1 


2 


Portsmouth 








23 


3 


19 


Sheemess .. 








13 




16 


Scilly Island 








8 




6 


Scarhoro' Castle .. 








2 




1 


Stirling 








3 




3 


Tower of London .. 








4 




4 


Fort William 








4 




2 


Upnor 








6 




12 


Cockham Wood .. 








4 




1 


Gillingham 








4 




2 


Windsor .. 








2 




1 


, Sandham Fort 








2 




2 


Yarmouth .. 






* 


4 




• 4 


Carisbrook 








2 




3 


Cowes 








3 




3 


WTiiteHall 








• • 


^ 


8 


North Yarmouth .. 


• • 


• • 




2 




2 


Total 


38 ' 


174 


41 


172 



Establiflhmont of the year 1720, compared with. that propofied' 
for the year 1721 : — 

ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE YEAR 1720. 

38 Master Gunners at 3G/. lOs. each per annum .. .. £1,387 

174 Gunners at 18/. 5«. ditto .. .. 3,17^ 10 

More M. per diem for eight of the 3rd Gunners in N. Britain 73 

Extra allowance to Gunners at Whitehall 100 7 6 



£4,735 17 6 



ESTABLISHMENT PROPOSED FOR THE YEAR 1721. 



41 Master Gunners at 36/. 109. each 
172 Gunners at 18/. 5s. each 

Extra allowances to Gunners at Whitehall 



.. £1,496 10 

.. 3,139 

.. 100 7 6 

£4,735 17 6 



436 



EstablishmetU 0/ 1 77 1 . 



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437 



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438 Warrant of George III. app. 6. 



APPENDIX No. 6. 

Chap. XXIV.— Page 265. 

OEORQE R. 

Our Will and Pleasure is that for the future the Captain- 
Lieutenants in Our Boyal Regiment of Artillery and Corps 
of Engineers shall take rank as well in Our Army as in 
their respective Corps and that the present Captain-Lieu- 
tenants shall take their rank as Captains from the 26th day 
of May 1772 and all future Captain-Lieutenants in the said 
Corps from the date of their respective Commissions. 
Dated St. James's, 22nd of June 1772. 

(Signed) Suffolk. 



App. 



C flanges of Designation. 



439 



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440 



Changes of Designation. 



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Mr vna